Omen
by Purecopy
Summary: Venture with Trafalgar Law as he stumbled upon the real world alone, where One Piece is just an Anime/Manga Series and the dream of pirates and treasures are all wild imaginations of one great author! What's more? He materialized at a super One Piece Fan's house from a newly bought PVC figure. Read along as to how will the Surgeon of Death find his way back to his own world
1. Chapter 1

**Synopsis:** Venture with Trafalgar Law as he stumbled upon the real world alone, where One Piece is just an Anime/Manga Series and the dream of pirates and treasures are all wild imaginations of one great author! What's more? He materialized at a super One Piece Fan's house from a newly bought PVC figure. Read along as to how will the Surgeon of Death find his way back to his own world.

 _ **Warning**_ _: Trafalgar Law may exhibit OOC-ness due to circumstances. Also, the story will focus_ _ **mostly**_ _on Law's perspective. Occasionally, it will mention the OC's perspective. Expect relationship development between Law and OC. Be warned, please proceed with caution and be guided accordingly._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **First Sign**_

Trafalgar Law woke up to the strain that radiated from his back up to his neck. It was cramped, the cold stone pressed against his back. He even bumped his head when he shifted his position. There was nothing beneath his feet so he then extended his arms hitting foreign objects which slid off one by one producing crashing noises that sounded like plastics and boxes of some sort, confirming the existence of solid ground below him.

It was too dark. He blinked once, then twice; his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. He took in his surroundings and figured it was definitely a different room. He looked down, initially to assess his position but impetuously hopped off regardless. Surprised to have landed sooner, he almost lost his balance.

Just almost.

He stood for a while scanning the place. He glanced back over his shoulder and found some sort of bookshelf. There were several reading materials enclosed inside it together with some human-looking statues mixed within them; there were boxes of different sizes too. He then shifted his eyes underneath him; boxes of various sizes together with his _Kikoku_ were lying by his feet.

 _Wait, the Kikoku?_

As he picked up his sword, he wondered how it got there, or rather, did he have it earlier and dropped it?

The room was spacious enough. A wide window was placed just beside the door and also above it was an air-conditioner, which was foreign to the doctor. Curious, he inspected it by placing a hand over it. As a strong cold breeze made contact with his skin, it piqued his interest. He didn't dwell on it since he had more important matters to deal with. He turned around and examined the wholeness of the room. From afar, he could see a dresser, a two-door closet, another shelf besides the bookshelf adjacent to him. He could tell there was another door that led to another room behind that dresser but he disregarded it. A printer and a computer and a large bed was the nearest to him, not counting the bookshelf he came down from. Although the bed was large enough to accommodate at least two people, there was only one person sleeping on it. Said person was covered in a blanket and was sandwiched between two tall pillows.

Trafalgar Law didn't know where he was, what happened and how in hell he got there. He couldn't think of anything else besides taking a nap in his own room before he woke up in the place he's currently in. After his short recollection, he slipped his hand inside his coat as he looked for his snail transponder.

He froze.

The exact spot where he always kept his snail transponder was empty. Nonetheless, he kept looking, going to such lengths of inspecting his pants down to his shoes only to realize it's gone.

 _Impossible! I always,_ _ **always**_ _carry one with me._

He grew nervous. He knew he could never forget that one important thing.

Him, of all people.

Still, he managed to compose himself. It was no time to get worked up with a simple misplacement. Needless to say, he wouldn't be able to contact his crew so he decided he might as well figure out his exact location.

He turned around, opened the door and stepped out of the room and found himself standing in a porch. Before him was an empty road, houses of different shapes and sizes lined up in one side and the other, tall street lamps illuminated the gloomy area, few trees and plants stood by the edge of the roads and by the corners of some houses; it was a long stretch of nothing but land.

The sea was nowhere to be found.

This realization baffled Law even more. He could never comprehend how he got there of all places. He could never be somewhere too far from the sea especially without his crew's knowledge.

He went back to the room and closed the door behind him. The sun was almost rising but it didn't matter to him as various thoughts ran through his mind. He fought to regain his composure, trying so hard to recall what his memory dictated. He thought it must be some kind of phenomenon the New World holds. Looking back, it must have happened somewhere or something along the way to Punk Hazard, or maybe, Caesar was playing games with him.

But the Warlord indeed knew Caesar. He wasn't the genius Vegapunk was nor was he even capable of making such episode. Actually, he even doubted whether Vegapunk himself could ever do it. Seeing the unfamiliar machines inside that room, he assumed he could be in a distant future dimension of sorts. It might be some fucked up parallel world, other-worldly dimension or some shitty space travel of the sort that the New World offered.

" _Room."_

Law was a cautious, and also a brutal man. Seeing as there was only one person besides him inside the room, he figured the said person might hold some clues to whatever he was experiencing.

Scratch that, he might even be the brains to this shitty prank and was the answer to his questions.

Satisfied with the diameter of his spatial territory, the Warlord unsheathed his sword and imbued it with _haki_. Swinging into thin air, the blanket, pillows and the bed itself was cut in a transverse half; there was even a horizontal fissure left on the solid floor. He kicked the boxes beneath him as he approached his victim only to find out that the sleeping person was unharmed. His body was intact, rather, _her_ body was intact.

It was a woman and she was in a dress.

This alarmed Law. His sword was imbued with _armament haki_ , and he was certain he had grown stronger those past two years but a mere sleeping, defenseless woman rendered his devil fruit ability and _haki_ useless.

He sheathed his sword and placed it down on the bed. He grabbed her by the wrists and gripped them hard enough to leave a mark.

"AH!"

The person screamed in response, eyes fluttered open and immediately she resisted with all her might.

Law dragged both her wrists above her head and held them with one hand. Swiftly, he covered her mouth with his other hand.

"Be quiet." he muttered in a low tone as he closed the gap between their faces.

The woman was obviously in shock. Her struggle quickly subsided until her offender felt no resistance. Her breathing was labored, eyes dilated and her heartbeat was erratic which could not conceal her fear.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I would like you to answer calmly and honestly. Otherwise, this could get ugly." the doctor began. He made it a point to speak as soft as possible but he could not conceal the firmness of his tone.

She did not respond.

"Do you understand me? I won't hurt you as long as you cooperate." Law added. He held her gaze, letting his words linger for a moment longer before continuing. "Blink once for no, twice for yes."

She blinked once, and slowly blinked again. Her hesitation was eminent.

"I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth. Once I do, I expect you to keep your mouth shut."

She blinked twice, but the second blink was much later than earlier. This irked Law. He gripped her wrists even harder, eliciting a muffled cry from his victim and forcing her eyes to close for a few seconds as she endured the pain.

"Can I trust you to keep quiet?"

She blinked twice, a lot faster this time.

"Just a warning. I could cut off your neck if you try anything funny." his voice deadly quiet.

She did not respond or rather, she kept her eyes closed petrified by either the terror from his words or by the oppressive aura he exuded.

Law could sense her strong fear which he knew too well that he felt the need to keep his hand over her mouth. It was faint but he sensed her screaming internally, and she may just do it instinctively.

Shortly, a solitary tear trickled down her cheek and he felt the cold liquid rest on his skin. This made him chuckle darkly.

"So, can I trust you to behave and cooperate?"

She quickly blinked twice, shutting her eyes right after the second blink flushing away the tears that welled up over her eyelids. Her body shook both from the cold and terror.

Law let his hand remain over her mouth for a few more seconds before he finally removed it. As he did, he noticed her lips pursed tightly.

"Where is this place?"

She flinched. Her pursed lips did not seem willing to open anytime soon.

Law took his free hand and pulled on her left hand's little finger, strongly hinting his impatience. "Shall I break a few fingers for you to speak up?"

"Room 108 of Maris dormitory for girls!" her voice cracked and she sounded frantic.

"Room what? What do you mean?"

"I'm a student of Raftearsen University..! This is the school's prescribed dormitory for its students! Found in En Town, the Luke City's heart-renowned Medical Universities..!"

Law was lost. He understood that she was tense and she couldn't possibly think straight in her current position so she couldn't opt to lie but he didn't understand what she was saying. All he got was he's in a certain city's town which happens to be the heart of the said city. This irritated him but he pressed on regardless, "Do you happen to know a person with the initials C.C.?"

"CC? CC..uhh... Yes! Yes, I think I do!" she was still shaking but she sounded more than willing upon answering his questions.

"Are you one of his subordinates? Are you working under him?"

"...No..! I..don't have a professor with those..initials..! CC is a classmate.!"

"But you know Caesar Clown, correct?"

The woman looked shocked as her eyes opened wide. She stared incredulously at him, "Caesar Clown?" she repeated.

"That's it then." Law tightened his grip on both her wrists. The girl jerked in recoil on him. "Tell me, where am I and what did he do to me? Answer me!"

"I don't know! I don't know what you're saying!" his victim's voice rose as she felt the distress throughout her body.

Law was already at the end of his wits. He didn't care if anyone or anything came in and interrupted them. He'd just slice them and kill them off in a heartbeat.

"Where is this?! Tell me how did I get here and why am I here?!"

"Please don't joke around like this! I only heard the name Caesar Clown from One Piece! What kind of burglar are you?!" she began to struggle.

"One Piece?" wonder coated his words. "And burglar? I'm a pirate."

"Pirate?!" she snapped back. She tried to pull herself up as she felt her bottom slowly slipping off from the bed. "You say Caesar Clown and then Pirate? This is not One Piece dammit! Did I watch too much Anime?! If this is a dream, a freakish nightmare please wake up, me!"

Confused. Thunderstruck. Annoyed. These emotions consumed Law all at once.

Confused; as to the girl's denial of the existence of pirates to the point of even arguing that he was nothing but a lowly burglar. Thunderstruck; as to the girl's casual way of mentioning One Piece, the greatest treasure that all pirates long for. She sounded as if she already knew it, saw it - as if she was very familiar of it that she was the actual owner. Annoyed; as to the girl's blatant insult as she referred to their encounter as a dream - a nightmare. Was she not convinced that it was reality? Was the pain he was inflicting her not enough for her to believe it?

As the latter question crossed Law's mind, his lips curled into a wry smile. He tightened his grip on her wrists and placed a hand on her neck slowly gripping it tightly as if in sync with his other hand over her wrists. The girl winced in pain and was gradually choking as she forced herself to speak.

"Yo..u...why...y...ou..."

"I would like you to behave and listen to me carefully." Law began. "That is, if you want to keep breathing."

Bound and gagged, she opened her mouth as she struggled for air. Tears kept streaming down her face. Her glassy eyes sought for the pirate's own pair and as she did, she managed to blink twice, hinting that she understood what he meant.

Amused, Law loosened his grip on her neck and as he did, the girl gasped for air trying to catch her breath and coughed occasionally.

"I want answers and you're going to give them to me." he spoke in a dangerous tone. "First, who are you?"

"My name is..." a cough interrupted her mid-sentence. Clearing her throat, she continued. "I'm called..Elka. Err, Elka Ardela."

As the sun finally rose up, light quickly infiltrated the room through the wide window. Gradually, it illuminated the whole room and revealed the girl's face: dark almond-shaped eyes - her lashes weren't that impressive but were curved despite its length, small nose, and faintly colored thin lips; her semi-long black hair spread across her pillow and was messy. Her cheeks had dark stains brought about her tears earlier.

Law remained quiet for a while. He assumed he wouldn't be able to gather valuable information as he recalled her earlier responses to his questions. If he kept scaring her, she might get too nervous to even speak up. He figured she wasn't the kind of person who can talk under pressure and so he arranged an alternative plan in his head.

"Elka?" he repeated.

As he was about to speak, for some strange reason he felt like looking above the bed's headboard and found wanted posters of the Straw Hat Pirates including his. On top of that, there were several posters of him topless, and with different clothes and poses. His face couldn't hide his shock. He was gawking at the walls long enough that his grip over the girl's wrists and neck eventually loosened up. He wasn't even aware of himself straightening up as his eyes scanned the wide panels of unbelievable sights.

 _What the hell is this? What are these things? Where in hell is this?!_

Law's mind went blank. He was in shock, and he was in a state of panic, but he was out of words to describe whatever he was seeing or feeling. He looked to his right then to his left. He looked behind him and then back in front of him. He didn't know what to say nor how to act.

The girl called Elka, however, remained still in her position. She stared at the young man gaping over her wide collection of posters. She was surprised when the guy even looked back to look at her shelves housing her One Piece figures and Manga. There were other characters and series mixed in it but 90% of which were from her favorite. She didn't understand why the man looked shocked but nonetheless, she knew better. He was a dangerous burglar who was ready to kill with every chance he can get so she couldn't exactly muster up the courage to break free and make a run for it. She did consider screaming while he was off guard but from the corner of her eye she spied a long sword lying by the intruder's side. She wouldn't want to lose a limb or two, or worse, her head.

"You!" Law snarled, glaring down at the girl. His vivid anger startled her. "What are those things?!" he pointed a finger towards the posters hanging above her head.

Scared, her voice shook as she answered, "Posters..."

"Don't state the obvious! I mean, what the fuck are those things?!" he snapped. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to rise closing the gap between their faces. Fiercely glaring, he spoke in a deadly quiet tone, "What the hell are you? Who are you really?"

Terrified. Petrified. A chill ran down her spine.

At that moment, Elka wanted to break free so bad and run as far away as she could. She felt like she was getting stabbed by multiple daggers just by his stare, and it was as if she was trapped in ice as she heard him speak. She felt nauseous and dizzy with every second. She fought hard to stop herself from throwing up, closing her eyes and turning away from him. She then muttered, "collectibles... Those are posters from One Piece. They're my collection."

 _Again, One Piece._

This piqued Law's interest. The girl kept referring to One Piece as if it was something she owned. He gradually calmed down as various possible concepts and explanations flooded his head. He stared at the frightened girl for a few more seconds.

"Oi." he called.

The girl only flinched in response, strongly refusing to look back at him.

"Oi, Elka- _ya_. Calm down." he stated in monotone.

Elka did not respond but her shaking toned down little by little as silence took over.

Shortly, Law spoke again. "For the meantime, I'll release you and will refrain from hurting you. But if you ever try anything suspicious, I'll cut your neck off." his tone ever so quiet. He didn't quite release her yet as he let his words linger for a while longer.

She flinched at the acidity in his voice. Not long enough, she managed to stop her body from quivering and eventually turned her head to look at the young man. The two kept staring at each other for a while and as soon as silence seemed too overwhelming, the girl spoke in a rather casual tone.

"You know, I just realized... I hate to admit it but you really look exactly like the Trafalgar Law from One Piece."

Law's eyes widened in surprise as she ended her sentence.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N** : I forgot to write this on the first chapter so I'm writing this now. **I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE. THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION AND MAY CONTAIN DISTORTED FACTS.**_

 _ **Important Note** : Please be aware that I shall be using/basing the places and other little things in the real world BUT I'll name them differently - perhaps change the spelling or just reverse their names, you know, copyright issues and such, right? Or am I doing it wrong? Regardless, expect to read familiar names but faulty spellings. Grammar/Spelling Nazis may stay away from this story if this bothers you. Thank you._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Second Sign**_

"Wow, so you're really Trafalgar Law. You scared me so much back there. I never would've thought you're actually this brutal in reality."

Elka sat down by the edge of her bed with one leg hanging down and the other folded. She stared intently at the pirate captain who sat on the floor and leaned his back on the closet with his tall sword resting by his shoulder.

"I mean, you made me feel like I was going to get killed one way or another." she continued, gently touching her neck.

Law remained quiet. He didn't return her gaze either and instead hid his eyes under his hat.

Elka sighed. She then began to explain in great detail, tediously at that, the meaning of her so-called collections. She proudly described herself as the number one fan of Eiichiro Oda- _sensei_ 's greatest masterpiece: One Piece and she supported the material loyally by buying various products regarding the said title; ranging from its _Manga_ and DVD, to its other merchandise such as figures, statues, art books, posters and other exclusive items.

Law quietly listened. He paid her his full attention until the end even if there were many times he felt irritated with her unnecessary remarks. By the end of her lecture, the pirate captain was skeptical. He couldn't comprehend how things like that existed, rather, he couldn't accept that those things exists but in the end, he couldn't find a loophole to deny what was thrust against his face. He felt exhausted just thinking about it.

"One more thing, I'm not telling you this because I believe your story. I'm still not convinced you're someone from a fictional series." she clarified.

Law threw her a look that sent shivers down her spine. He then rose up and held forth his right arm.

 _Room_.

Under Law's palm was a vivid light blue aura that clearly surprised his spectator. Swiftly, it expanded engulfing the whole room. He then gestured his hand and pointed his index finger upward, making the half of the bed float up. This alarmed the room owner as she was still sitting on the said object.

"W-W-Wait a sec...!" she yelped as she fell back on the bed. She clutched on the corner of the bed to prevent herself from falling.

As soon as she felt the bed descend, she closed her eyes and prayed. After a few snapping sounds and quakes she felt, everything went silent. She slowly opened her eyes only to see the window in normal height again. She shot up and found Law already sitting back on the floor with his back inclined on the closet; his tall sword resting by his shoulder.

Quickly, Elka assessed herself. She patted her whole body, checking every part of it, making sure nothing was missing. Relief quickly washed over her soon as she found herself still in one piece.

"What did you do?" she finally asked.

"I fixed your bed. Now that you've seen my devil fruit ability, I'm sure you believe my story." he stated half-exasperated, half-chastened.

"Uh-huh... Well..."

"Seeing your reaction, it seems to me you're already familiar with what I can do." he scoffed.

Elka stiffened. She shifted her gaze away from the man and admitted, reluctantly at that, "Yes, I believe you."

Shortly though, she suddenly slapped her face twice, she pinched her cheeks and even her arms. She then glanced at Law and pinched her cheeks once more. "Damn, am I really awake now? This isn't a dream, right?" she stared at the Surgeon of Death in awe. "At first I thought you were just a psycho in cosplay but now that I think about it, who would even bother cosplaying before taking victims?"

Truthfully, the pirate captain himself was still lost, both in thoughts and in words. He was still confused with everything - what with the figures, series and whatnot. And the thing that concerned him the most, was the storyline or so-called plot of the entitled One Piece series, because it contained characters and names he was too familiar with and it so much aligned with what has transpired in his world and his future plans. It even revealed his future alliance with the Straw Hat Pirates, which was actually out of his expectations.

"So, Elka- _ya_? What do you think made me appear in this world?" he asked, uncertain of his own question.

"I don't really know. I can't say you were brought here due to my wishes or anything silly like that." she said in a matter-of-fact manner and continued, "After all, Oda's work is a work of fiction. You don't exist in this world."

"Fiction?" Law sent her a questioning look.

 _Oh._ Elka noted the unguarded feeling from his eyes. It was a first that his eyes looked non-threatening and that he gave off no pressure.

"Well, yeah, you heard me right." she flatly replied as if she was stating the obvious. "Like I told you, One Piece is a _Manga_ Series which included you as an important character in the story. I only got to know you through that."

"So you're saying I'm just an imaginary being, is that it?" Law's questioning look morphed into one of understanding and hostility. "Are you insulting me?" he glowered at her. He rose from the ground and approached her threateningly.

Elka was overwhelmed and frightened she couldn't move a muscle. She could only wait for him to reach her and feared over the assumption of him finally disposing her.

As he got close, he grabbed her chin and forcibly pulled her face up to meet his menacing glare imposing his dominance. "I don't think you understand your situation. Let's say you're correct, and I really am just an illusion." he glanced over her silky black hair and snatched a handful of it pulling them in the process.

It elicited a grunt of pain from Elka. Her face immediately scrunched up as she gritted her teeth in an effort to stifle her groans.

"Can an illusion do this?" Law continued. He crouched over the bed until his head was leveled with hers. He peered into her glassy eyes and added, "Still think you're hallucinating? Do you really believe that I don't exist? Me, who's right in front of you?"

"I didn't..." Elka struggled to keep her voice even as she endured the pain. She also made an effort to return the pirate captain's gaze. "I didn't mean it..that way..."

Irritated, Law shoved her down to the bed and thrust the tip of his sword's scabbard against her throat. He slowly pushed it forward with the intent of choking her. He watched her writhe in pain, coughing every now and then, until beginning to drool as she pointlessly clutched over the scabbard in an effort to break free from it.

"A word of advice: If I am provoked, I would be happy to oblige." he guided his sword's scabbard from her throat down to her chest then between her breasts. "A stab through your heart is child's play, I'd like you to be aware of that." he then pulled the weapon away from her body.

Elka wheezed as she caught her breath. She coughed and panted until she could manage to breathe through her nostrils. She then closed her mouth and brushed the drool off its corners with the back of her hand. Idly laying in bed, she stared up at the ceiling wishing it was all just a dream but the Warlord's deep voice pulled her back to reality.

"It would be better if you watch your tongue, woman." his tone was cold and sharp.

With a deep breath, Elka pulled herself up and met her offender's eyes. He stood tall before her, towering over her. He was looking down on her with rage-filled eyes. She didn't know what to say to quell that anger in him but she figured she had to speak up.

"I do believe..that you exist. I apologize if I..offended you." she began. Her voice shook a bit but she was able to control her fear. She looked intently at the man and continued, "Still, they were nothing but facts. I honestly don't know how this happened. It could be that there exist several dimensions and numerous worlds and perhaps, you belong to one of them."

"That's just a theory. And although I'd like to reject it, my being here accounts to that." his glare softened and there was a hint of approval in his tone. Although it sounded forced, he seemed convinced.

Law's response eased the girl. "But I really don't know how this happened. I don't know why you're here, how you got here and what caused all this." she said, worry creased her face.

"But there's one thing I'm certain." the pirate captain looked at her, his face stern. "You hold the answers I seek, and the key for me to get back. Otherwise, I wouldn't have shown up in your place."

Wide-eyed, Elka was rendered speechless.

This made Law sigh in exhaustion. "I mean I won't kill you. As much as I would love to, I really don't have much choice. Getting back is my top priority, so I'll try to put up with you as long as I can."

Finally, his words sunk into her head. She began to panic. "B-b-b-but...! But I don't have the answers! I don't know what - !"

Elka was forced to purse her lips and stop in the middle of her sentence as the butt of _Kikoku_ 's scabbard was suddenly pointed against her face.

"Regardless, you _will_ cooperate." he hissed low. The sound made her skin prickle in horror. He scowled at her defiantly as if ready to reject whatever excuse she may give.

"Yes, certainly..." she muttered under her breath. She was hesitant but her mouth reflexively moved on their own and the words came pouring out without notice.

Law didn't exactly hear what she said but he could mostly read her mouth so he figured it himself. Satisfied, a smile crossed his face. He then retreated and sat back on the floor with his sword resting over his shoulder.

"When I came to, I was sitting above your bookshelf. Any idea why that is?" he began.

Elka took a while before the man's question registered in her head. She then glanced at his left and stared off at a distance. "My bookshelf...?"

Soon as she recognized the object before her, her face turned grim. She hurriedly got to her feet and ran up in front of her shelf. She stared at her figurines, large-scale figures and boxes that were scattered all over her shelf and then down to the little pieces that was left of her precious collection littered on the ground. Misery consumed her as she identified which parts of which it belonged to and the damaged boxes one by one. As if casting a curse spell, she muttered their names together with their prices; she was choking back her tears.

She wanted to complain, to shout, to whine, to actually cry out but she was still frightened. The man with her was a very dangerous one. Although he said he wasn't going to kill her anytime soon, he was capable of hurting her, of disabling and incapacitating her. Death sounded better than living in a world of hurt.

Law did not understand the woman's reaction. She looked devastated, and more than anything else, very vulnerable.

"What's wrong?"

Elka flinched. She didn't expect the pirate captain to be concerned.

 _Or rather, was he bothered with my strange behavior?_ It made sense. To him, her precious collection were nothing more than mere objects for aesthetic purposes, or worse, trash, so he was definitely puzzled.

She spared him a glance and forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Can you give me a minute? I'd like to clean up before we continue."

Without waiting for the pirate's reply, she began picking up the clutter of broken pieces of plastics on the floor. She attempted to fix some of her toys to no avail. Giving up, she collected them and placed them in one big box. She wasn't willing to throw them away. Perhaps there was still a way to fix them, or she had some other uses for them. Soon she began tidying up her bookshelf; properly arranging her collection of books and _mangas_ into its proper positions and after that, she proceeded to carry the huge box containing her broken figures in a corner beside her bed.

Law did not bother speaking, nor moving from his place. He only observed the girl quietly and waited patiently until she was done.

When Elka was finished checking up on her collection, she noticed a few of her most prized figures was missing. She searched around the bookshelf, over and under it but didn't find them. One particular box was still present, but the figure itself and the parts that came along with it were missing.

 _Strange._

She thought it was impossible for her to mix it up with the other figures' broken parts since it was her favorite. She could never make that mistake. She thought hard and long of whether she might have misplaced it or maybe she lent it to someone until her eyes fell on Trafalgar Law who was watching her closely.

"No way..." she mumbled to herself as she felt her eyes grow wider in shock and disbelief.

Law wondered, throwing an inquisitive look over her.

Anxious, her mouth refused to move. The torture she had undergone when she accidentally angered the said man was enough to oppress her. She was uncertain if it had any connection with whatever caused his materialization into her world, into her room - her personal space but she figured that he would like to get even the tiniest piece of information she could give him regarding his situation.

Still, she was dead scared with his would-be reaction. It might sound like a mockery to him and he could snap at her by then. She didn't want to hurt anymore, physically and mentally. His oppressive aura and intimidating gaze was enough to break her cool.

"Whatever is in your mind, let me hear it." Law decided to break the deafening silence that Elka failed to notice as she was immersed in her own thoughts. He sounded impatient, yet somehow gentle.

Swallowing her fear, she spoke up. "While I got over my..figure collection catalog, I realized I was..missing one figure..." her voice had an uncertain crack in it. "And um..." she swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing, "Well, he was..he looked just like you. I mean, it was my Trafalgar Law that was missing. I..bought him this month and-"

"What?!" the pirate captain was mortified as he heard his name; _in possessive pronoun_.

Elka wanted to shrink then and there and disappear without a trace.

 _Way to go, idiot._ at the back of her mind, she cursed herself. She carelessly spoke of him as if he was her possession.

"I mean, you see this thing?" she picked up a huge box lying adjacent to her. "Look, it has your picture in it, with the same clothes and whatnot." she hovered a finger over the box's images printed on it. "Um, this is you. It's a product made by xx manufacturer and I'm a patron."

"What you're saying is, I'm a _toy_?" Law couldn't hide his distaste from his voice.

"I don't know..." she said, averting her eyes from him. "But I think it has a connection with your being here. It's missing, and then there's you." she explained as carefully as she can. "I know it's silly and illogical but given with this circumstance, it makes sense, yeah?" she felt awkward but her last sentence came out in an even tone.

Shortly, his expression turned into one of understanding and approval, muttering an agreement as he looked away from her.

"Still, I really don't know what to make out of it." a frown fell on Law's face as he immersed himself in deep thoughts musing over whatever his crew was doing by then. If they ever found out he was gone, they'll go frantic and panic all over the ship just to find him. Without his transponder snail, he couldn't contact them. Worse, he didn't know if time flowed similarly with the time in his world. There's always a possibility a day in the world he's currently in would cost a week in his own world.

"But I wonder..." Elka wondered aloud. "Your devil fruit ability works in our world but why didn't you use it on me?"

The pirate captain's train of thoughts quickly shattered as he heard the person. He inwardly groaned as her words registered in his mind. Nonetheless, he retained his composure. "Are you saying you want me to use it on you?"

"Oh no! Not at all!" was her quick reply. She held her hands up in a manner of surrender and smiled awkwardly. "That's not what I meant. Forget about it, haha. Anyway, what should I call you? Um, Law? Or Trafalgar? Or maybe captain?" the last remark drew her lips into a smirk.

He took a quick glance at her under his hat and curtly replied, "Whichever is fine."

His response made her shoulders relax a bit. Her fear died down as the two of them conversed casually by then. Although unspoken, it was as if she understood him and the things between the two of them became clear.

"How about doctor then?" she smiled softly.

Law remained quiet.

"You see, I'm actually an aspiring doctor! I'm a freshman attending the school of Medicine. And I know you're popularly called 'Surgeon of Death', is why I was so obsessed with your character. You're a wicked good doctor, since you actually healed Luffy's wounds and you possess the ultimate fruit Ope-ope no mi. I'm really envious of you. I wish I could be as good as you or even better." prattling gleefully, she didn't notice Law's discomfort. Her smile broadened, seemingly waiting for a response.

"I see." was all he could mutter. He didn't fancy long talks and trivial chitchats but he considered the possibility of getting some plausible information regarding his situation that would help him get back to his own world - to his own dimension - and fast.

Despite the pirate captain's apparent lack of interest in her personal opinions, Elka continued blabbering on and on about various things. She kept jumping from one topic to another without preamble. It also seemed like she was enjoying herself, just talking on and on about the littlest things she could tell him. It seemed as though she already forgot who she was conversing with.

Regardless, Law kept his silence. In spite of his agitation slowly welling up on him, he lent her his ears for the longest time he could.

"Oh right, I actually have something to do today. I better get ready." the raven-haired girl jumped off the bed and began tidying it up. She then walked up to her dresser and quickly picked out a white tee and a pair of blue jeans. She then placed those on her bed and took a quick glance on the pirate captain. "By the way, aren't you uncomfortable with that thick coat of yours? I'm going to turn off the AC so if you wouldn't mind, please take that off." she spoke in monotone as she walked towards the air-conditioner.

Law reluctantly rose up as he decided to comply. He took off his fur hat, unfettering his black hair and drew near the bed to place it over for the time being. He unzipped his black coat revealing his firm upper torso marked with a huge heart tattoo. He possessed a lean but well-shaped body and his limbs were toned. Both arms, from his shoulder down to his fingers were inked and they looked remarkably fitting. He had a broad back and was tattooed with a huge smiley face covered in spike-like markings that overlaid almost all of it. His muscles were also well-defined making explicit pelvic sexy lines.

"Wow, you look even sexier in person." were the words that came out from Elka's mouth.

Surprise was written all over the pirate's face as he looked at her and this made her realize what she had just done. Embarrassed, she quickly covered her mouth with both palms; her ears turning red.

"Such a candid woman you are." he remarked, a playful smirk graced his face.

Elka's already red face turned even brighter as she heard the man. She wanted to retort back but couldn't find the words. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Stung by his mockery, she looked away and hung her head.

Silence hung dry on air as none of them spoke another word. She wanted to check whether the pirate captain was still keeping tabs on her but she didn't want to meet his eyes if he really was. She knew it wasn't because of the embarrassment she felt, it was somehow fear - but she didn't know for whatever reason. Possibly due to her traumatic experience a little earlier. He was still a criminal, a pirate captain, a cruel man.

As time passed, it felt like the ticking of the clock sounded louder and louder. The atmosphere felt heavier as the silence stretched on. She determined it was time to break the ice and gathered up the courage to raise her head and looked up at the _half-naked_ criminal before her. Soon as she did, she was startled to find grey orbs glued on her.

A curious sensation overwhelmed her and despite her embarrassment, she asked, "You..didn't just stare at me this whole time, did you?"

Smirking, Law was quick to answer. "You can say that again."

"Do you like watching people when they're embarrassed or something?" it came out rude but she convinced herself that she won't ever regret it even if it cost her life.

"I have to say, I was quite amused. Keep doing that and I might just spare you for the fact that you're amusing to watch." although the context of his words were to threaten her, the way he said it sounded almost teasing.

Unable to retort back, Elka decided to toss the issue aside and escaped the room with the pretense of 'borrowing clothes' for Law.

=/=

With a few knocks on the door, Elka repeatedly called out for the landlady. Soon after, a woman with long golden hair and pretty blue eyes opened the door. With a gentle smile, she greeted her.

"Hey Elka, what's up? It's a holiday today, isn't it?"

"Oh, Lady Shiva, good morning." Elka bowed her head down to show respect. "I'm sorry for bothering you this early but, is Mistress Glenn in?"

"Auntie? She's taking a bath." she gestured inside the room and glanced back at the girl. "How may I help you?"

"I know this is really inappropriate but I'd like to ask a favor." Elka began.

As she was explaining herself, Shiva's attention shifted to the person standing behind the young girl. She looked curious as she stared at the man who in turn, stared back at her.

"..so if Ross is awake, can I speak to him? I'll ask him personally."

Shiva stood contemplating the presence of the young man that stood tall behind the girl. The blue towel draping over his torso failed its purpose as her eyes glided over his tattooed shoulders down to his arms, hands and fingers which were also inked. He looked straight back at her with a straight face and Shiva was not pleased by it.

"Elka, who is this rude man?" she asked. Her remark was an obvious warning which made the pirate's brow twitch in a split second.

Elka jolted in response. She spun around to find Law standing tall half-naked. She was shocked as she made certain to leave the pirate captain in her room. Elka wanted to whine and complain to him but was concerned with the lady present so she stopped herself, and thought fast.

"Ah...my...cousin! He came early today and...he was, um, we planned to meet up today and I asked him to come over and pick me up!"

"You know this is an all-girls dormitory." Shiva reminded, her tone firm. "And as far as I know, you're supposed to notify the security by the gates regarding this. If I am not informed about this, that means this man here entered the dorms without the security's knowledge, correct?"

Elka was in the red. She couldn't possibly tell the lady how suddenly, the man before her magically appeared out of nowhere, although it was the truth after all. She didn't know what excuse to use and kept fidgeting about, racking her head for anything useful and partially praying for Shiva's suspicion to pass soon.

"You had security? I didn't know." Law spoke out of turn.

The surgeon's response shocked Elka, and most especially Shiva. The lady quickly went back inside and picked up the phone extension to the gates, finding out how the newly appointed guard on duty was out since dawn that day because of the conflict of schedules of available men the agency missed for that day.

"Why was I not informed by this?" Shiva asked but the agency only swore they sent a replacement by four in the morning. The blonde sighed, ultimately accepting their apology after she told them off for not advising their employers regarding the matter.

"Still, Elka, you should know that men are not allowed in here." Shiva firmly stated as she placed down the phone and returned by the door.

"Yes but he's my blood relative and only visiting briefly." Elka replied. She was relieved her voice came out even.

The blonde woman looked at her suspiciously and then at the man. Her nose scrunched up in a frown before nodding in agreement.

"Then please let your cousin know," Shiva shot a glare at Law before continuing, "that he shouldn't be walking around half-naked. The fact that he bypassed the guard this morning meant he entered the dorm's premises by three."

Elka flinched at the acidity of her tone. She bowed her head immediately and apologized.

Shiva sighed. "Come in, Elka. You should ask your cousin to go back to your room though." she then left the door open as she made her way inside the room.

Soon as the blond woman was out of their sight, Elka curtly grabbed Law's arm and pulled him down to whisper between gritted teeth, "I told you to stay in the room, doctor. This is an all-girl's dormitory and men are not allowed in here!"

The man glared in return. "I don't do well with getting ordered around." his tone sharp.

"Please, doctor, listen to me! I'm not ordering you, I'm begging you." Elka grumbled, almost tearing up in both anger and frustration.

Law hummed. He took a brief look at the girl who was already at the verge of crying in either anger or frustration before deciding to let it go and went back to the room.

As Law traced back his steps towards the girl's room, he took in the image of the hallways and the scenery before the building itself. The place was in a whole different level as he tried to compare it with the places he'd been and seen during his journey in the Grand Line. Although he already saw it earlier, it looked fairly different with the sun up. True enough, the sea was nowhere to be found but buildings were everywhere. They were glued to one another and was separated with walls alone. Some were so tall while others, too short they're almost covered. There were different machines running through the roads: four-wheeled, 2-wheeled, there were even ones who had six wheels and more, and they were huge.

It felt so strange and uncomfortable. Law was not used to seeing such little nature, especially with the sea missing and this worried him. Once he reached his destination, he paused to look up at the clear blue skies. If there was anything that he was grateful with, it'd be the sky looking as similar as he remembered it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Omen**

 _ **Third Sign**_

Trafalgar Law patiently waited for the gal's return. He decided to inspect the wholeness of the room for the second time, carefully and closely at that.

First and foremost, he approached the bookshelf housing a few familiar figures. They were in different sizes but the biggest one was the very uncanny resemblance of Eustass 'Captain' Kid, standing straight with his left gigantic metal arm held up. He wore different clothes than what the Warlord could recall from their last encounter but he recognized the large red feather coat and the aviator glasses stuck on the figure's forehead. Law was certain it was a statue of Eustass Kid.

He also found Fire Fist Ace, shirtless with a green bag on his back. He recognized the Pirate Hunter Zoro, as the whole green motif and three swords were a huge giveaway, although he was unsure if Zoro lost an eye as the figure depicted. And then there was Straw Hat. The rest were fairly unfamiliar to him but he took note of how most of the statues were males. There was one female he recognized though: the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, but from what he knew, the Pirate Empress wore red clothes, not blue.

Still, Law admitted they were all well made, even those figures he didn't recognize, but to think such merchandise were being distributed, as if they were being owned in such fashion, disturbed him.

It was just too weird, and inappropriate, if he may add.

Law stared intently at the lined _Manga_ with the title of 'One Piece' on them. He heard enough from Elka but he never really did see the actual book. The Warlord debated whether it was okay to read it and see for himself but he felt like it would ruin the fun of discovering the unknown. He already got bummed out with the revelation of him making an alliance with Straw Hat, and that fact didn't sit very well on him.

But if he acknowledged the existence and the accuracy of the book, it meant accepting he was indeed a product of someone's creativity. Did that mean that particular author was his God? Did that mean he was in God's world?

 _That's absurd._

The pirate captain turned around to look at the posters above the bed's headboard next. He still felt uncomfortable upon looking at the image of himself posed in a 'sultry' way. It was just _not_ him. Yes, he _can_ and _will_ be playful at times but that's just not how he looks when he does feel like teasing a few people.

There were also wanted posters of the Straw Hats, of himself, of Fire Fist and of Red-haired Shanks. They were lined in an orderly fashion, separated from those images of him, Zoro and Luffy in different poses and clothes. There were also some images of women, most of them being the Pirate Empress.

After a while, a miserable sigh escaped his lips. Trafalgar Law felt beat just by going over those _unpleasant_ things. He thought he would only hate bread for the rest of his life, but those proved to be more hateful.

 _To think such things exist, how disgusting!_

Law flopped down into the bed. He brought his hands over his face and slapped himself. Although he managed to remain calm, swallowing all of it was just too much.

' _ **You don't exist in this world.'**_

Law couldn't fathom how he was just a work of fiction, that he lived in a world of fiction, that he was _not_ real.

"That's bullshit. I'm totally alive and real. I exist." he told himself, stating the words aloud.

He thought about Bepo, his crew, the World Government, his hometown - they were all real - all his hardships, the experiences, the places - they were all real. It just so happened that the world he got tossed into was so advance that they had the power to visualize such events that actually happened. Law concluded it must be some sort of clairvoyance or something, and with the extremely abnormal elements surrounded the New World, he figured it was a plausible hypothesis. There have been many outrageous theories that floated around as early as they entered Grand Line, so something like it shouldn't really affect and shock him to such extent.

As soon as this realization eased Law's anxiety, the door opened and revealed Elka carrying a few clothes.

"To think I'd get scolded early in the morning..." Elka grumbled as she closed the door shut behind her. She chucked the clothes onto the bed and offered the Warlord to find whatever suits his taste and wear them for the time being.

Law was slow to comply. He felt fairly displeased just by looking at the woman before him for various reasons he couldn't say.

"I even had to lie about you coming from overseas, damn it. Do you think it's easy to come up of countries you're from?" Elka kept complaining before diving under the sheets of her bed. The sudden turn of events tired her out considerably.

"Overseas?" Law asked as he picked up a plain yellow tee with a round neck. "You mean, the sea does exist in this world?"

Elka was surprised to hear the pirate's question. She looked at him in disbelief before nodding in agreement.

"Can you provide me with a map of this world?"

"Don't tell me you plan to set sail or whatever." Elka was quick to dismiss the idea. She buried her face over a pillow she grabbed nearby.

"I don't. I just want to see how much difference this world and mine have." Law was a fan of books of a wide array of genre varieties. He'd read once about space and time travel, and one theory about how one can travel between two or more different worlds. Law didn't have a solid idea about how to get back to his world but nothing could be gained with staying idle. He knew he had to move, that way, he could get results and progress.

"Well, I can show you a world map but I don't have a physical one on me right now." Elka pulled herself up and sat straight. She turned to the side table and opened the drawer, ultimately pulling out a white rectangular device. "Or, I can just show you the Google maps." she stated as she proceeded to operate said device.

Law understood she'll be able to show him a map but he didn't quite understand the 'Google maps' part. He was also curious of the device she was operating, but decided not to ask.

Not sooner, Elka handed over the device displaying an image similar to a map. Only, it was too small for the pirate captain's taste, and the words popping over each spaces confused him.

"What is this?"

"It's a map of our city. Pretty cool, huh?"

" _This_ is a map?" Law incredulously looked over at said map for the second time. "I don't understand this. Are you sure this is a legitimate map? Can't you show me a clearer one?"

Elka sighed. She pulled away said map from the man and operated it again. Not later, she positioned herself right beside Law and showed her device to him once more. This time, a huge image filled with different colors and static words was displayed.

"Look, this is the world map. I picked the one with colors and legends to make it easier for you." she placed two fingers over the screen and brought them apart, zooming in the image. "First, let's start with Aisa. This is one big continent and my country is around here." she pointed at a particular yellow-colored shape surrounded in blue. "If you're wondering, everything blue is the sea. A big part of our world is water, so of course the sea exists here."

Trafalgar Law was shocked and somehow, amazed with what the device could do. He felt a nagging sensation of asking about her sorcery but stopped himself for the sake of getting more background regarding the world he was in.

Elka didn't seem to notice the Warlord's uneasiness as she continued to explain more. Nearing the end of it, Elka placed two fingers over the screen and brought them together, zooming out the image displaying the wholeness of the picture.

That's when Law finally raised a question. "So the Red Line is non-existent in this world?"

Elka looked at Law. "I'm pretty sure the Red Line is the equivalent of the 'equator' in our world. It's an imaginary line dividing our world into north and south."

"What about the Grand Line? And Calm Belt?"

Elka blinked. She contemplated whether she should reiterate that her world and his were sort of similar to an extent as Oda- _sensei_ based his work mostly in their world but she didn't exactly know where those other elements were based off from.

"I can't be sure. They're probably...non-existent." Elka weakly replied.

Elka's uncertainty was plain obvious to Law. Nonetheless, he figured the gal truly didn't know beyond that. With a deep sigh, he decided to let it slide and try a different approach.

"Elka- _ya_ , take me to the sea." Law plainly declared. He jumped off the bed and stretched his arms. "I'm ultimately a pirate, a man of the sea. I'm bound to find something there."

"Easy for you to say." Elka looked up at the man. "We're in the city. _The city_. The sea is a long ways from here, and we're going to spend some money to get there." she sounded unwilling, her tone suggesting her strong disagreement to the idea.

Law frowned. "Didn't you say you're going to cooperate? I _want_ to go to sea and you _will_ bring me there."

"You don't understand." Elka released a short sigh. She scooted over to the edge of the bed and got off. "It's going to cost a fair amount of money to get there with just me, but I'll have to pay for your fare too."

"Then I'll just have to find my way there on my own." Law was done talking. He grabbed his sword and wore his hat. He could care less about some woman's financial problem. He was a pirate, and a captain at that - a notorious criminal and ten times over stronger than the average human. Law was hellbent to find a way back fast, no matter the cost.

Elka panicked upon hearing the Warlord's response. She quickly blocked the door and told the man, unwillingly, that she agrees to his decision and will take him to sea, with one little request: "But please please please leave your sword here and don't cause any commotion!"

This amused Law as the woman was practically on her knees begging him to do such nonsense.

"Nonsense. You expect me to walk around this strange land weaponless?" Law sneered. The idea was tempting, but he was a careful man.

"This world is safe!" Elka reasoned. "Well, not entirely safe but at least tamer compared to your land! So please!"

"You admitted it yourself, yet you would force me to leave my sword?" admittedly, Law was having fun arguing with the woman, his wide smirk was proof enough. She looked so frightened and desperate it was hard not to tease her.

"Please! Just please listen to me!" Elka's patience was waning by then. She wanted to just snap at the man and curse him but couldn't, as he was different than any other human being. She then caught a glimpse of her black comb and decided to offer it to the pirate.

Elka told Law that she could provide him a substitute weapon for his sword. She walked towards her side table and picked up the black comb sitting atop. She then proceeded to demonstrate how the comb was actually a knife, explaining how she owned one since she started living by herself.

Law took the stealth knife and inspected it. It was fairly light, and the blade was sharp enough to cut skin, but he disliked its length as it was too short and the handle felt unconventional as it was plastic.

"You want me to replace my sword with this..mediocre blade for a knife?"

"Please doctor, just take it! If you're comfortable carrying a weapon with you, I'm willing to leave the dorms weaponless. So please!"

Law studied Elka's face for a while before deciding to give her a break and accept her decision. Still, he was curious and couldn't help but ask, "Have you used this before?"

"No." was the girl's quick reply. "Thankfully, not yet. But I still carry it with me."

"You said this world is safe yet you carry a weapon with you. Aren't you contradicting yourself?"

"I did admit 'not entirely'." Elka pouted. She huffed and crossed her arms as she continued, "Criminals are everywhere. You'll never know when and where they'll strike. I have no desire of becoming a victim so I bought one for self-defense."

Law raised a brow after hearing Elka's explanation. "Yet you were victimized by me."

Elka's face flushed in embarrassment. She glared at the man. "That wasn't counted! You caught me off guard!"

"You did say 'you'll never know when and where they'll strike'." Law's lips curled into a wry smile. In a swift motion, Law thrust the knife against Elka's neck, tipping her chin up a little as he relished in her petrified state. "You even surrendered to me your only form of self-defense. Don't you think you're just asking to be victimized even more?"

Elka bit back the snarl she was about to break. She wanted to tell the Warlord how she was only taking his best interest into account. Elka didn't want the pirate captain to attract unwanted attention as his ability could cause a huge uproar if he recklessly displayed it in public. Their nation's security was also strict regarding weapons, so if Law carried his huge sword around and the police found out it was real, he'd be jailed in no time. Elka considered it a possibility, and she figured the Warlord would undoubtedly fight back. She knew he'd even kill them, and it will cause chaos in their city. She just wanted to avoid trouble, and to think saving their city's peace and order amounted to her constant humiliation and dread to Law's amusement.

Elka always imagined how nice it would be for One Piece characters to be real, but now that she met one, she was beginning to tell herself it would be best for them to stay where they are.

With a small chuckle, Law withdrew the weapon and sheathed it with its comb cover. "So? Where should I place my sword?"

Elka was pleased with the sudden change of tone Law used to ask. She asked the Warlord's permission to touch the sword and upon receiving approval, took it and placed it in a space between her closet and bookshelf. Later she picked up the clothes she set over the bed earlier and proceeded to enter a room, which was actually her shower, and quickly got changed. She decided to just take her bath later as the man seemed to be in a hurry. Elka didn't want to risk Law going off on his own while she was stuck in the shower.

Half an hour, the duo found themselves standing by the bus stop. Elka had her hair tied up in a classic updo. She wore a collared white tee with its sleeves folded and casual jeans extending above her knees, paired with white sneakers. Law retained the dotted hat he always wore, the dotted blue jeans and black shoes. He wore a black hoody over plain yellow shirt as Elka suggested, telling him to hide his tattoos for reasons unknown.

"I'll say this again, doctor, don't do anything reckless." Elka reminded as she spotted a lone bus coming their way.

Law remained quiet. He disliked being treated as barbaric when in fact, he's more sophisticated than most people. Still, the Warlord confessed he could be a bit impulsive depending on his mood. He was a pirate, after all, and he liked chaos, provoking a few notable fellow pirate to keep things entertaining.

Soon, the bus stopped right in front of them with its door open. Elka went in first, guiding the pirate captain inside the vehicle. Spotting a vacant seat for two people, Elka gestured to the man and insisted he sit by the window, telling him it would be a great opportunity to enlighten him of her world.

Trafalgar Law wasn't new to land transportation, though he would admit riding such vehicle was a different experience than riding over a monster's back. The ride wasn't all exciting but the scenery were fresh to the Warlord. He'd been to many islands which had cities, but the place he was currently in had its own twist of 'city'. The inside of the vehicle was cool, and he appreciated the cozy seat.

Soon, the two got off the bus. It was another bus stop, but this time the place was bustling with people and they were surrounded by towering buildings almost covering the skies. Law quietly admired the majestic establishment. He couldn't imagine how people built them to such heights.

"Now doctor, we're going to have to walk for a while now." Elka explained, nudging Law's arm to take his attention. "We're going to the train station."

Law silently followed suit, keeping a steady pace one step behind Elka. He observed the area, and to his relief, the people's clothing looked a lot similar to the people from his world, though there were varieties. Only, the roads were filled with various machinery, to which Elka referred to as cars, vehicles with their own engines and driven by humans. She likened them to ships, only difference was those were 'land ships'.

As they walked the streets of En City, Elka explained the stoplights, pedestrians, the road rules - how traffic works. Law listened, occasionally raising questions here and there, obediently mimicking Elka's behavior towards said traffic regulations.

"So those big ones are for the cars to obey. Us pedestrians obey the lights with the human figure." Elka pointed over one stoplight to another. "Red means stop, Green means go." as soon as she said those words, the light turned green and the two proceeded to cross the road.

Suddenly, a guy bumped onto Elka, forcibly grabbing her bag and dashed away to the opposite direction.

"THIEF!" Elka yelped as she regained her balance. As if completely forgetting Law's existence, she turned to her heels and quickly ran after the crook. She ran with all her might, and Law was surprised to see how fast she was with those thin legs of hers.

The Warlord didn't bother to go after the girl, nor was he even interested to help out. Still, there was something he wanted to check so he decided to do a little experiment and maybe, help Elka in the process too.

 _Room_

A vivid light blue aura swiftly expanded around Law, even eating up the street that was a few kilometers away from the mugger. He then picked up a tiny rock he spotted nearby and flipped it over his palm for a while before deciding to finally give it a try.

 _Shambles_

In an instant, a blue shoulder bag appeared over Law's palm. Pleased with the outcome, he couldn't stop a smile to surface. It was reassuring that his ability worked the same and that his control over it was still solid. He quickly withdrew his room and waited how their game of tag would end.

Elka didn't notice how the mugger had already lost her bag. She was desperate, not only because it contained most of her allowance, but because she knew she kept her exam permit in that particular bag. She cursed herself for forgetting to take that thing out, who knew she'd get mugged. Her energy drained fast, and not sooner, her speed began to dwindle. Later, she gave up and stopped, supporting her tired body by placing her hands over her knees, huffing furiously to catch her breath. She was covered in sweat, and worse, her right sneaker's lace broke.

With a huge, miserable sigh, Elka slowly made her way back to the crossing. Later, she found Law leaning against a post across the street. Soon as the traffic lights turned green, Elka jogged towards Law and planned to apologize for what happened, only to find that the Warlord had in fact taken back her bag since.

"You could have told me you were going to help." Elka whined, her voice weak as she was already exhausted from the chase.

"You know what I'm capable of." Law deadpanned, handing over the said bag.

"You could have reminded me you were there..." Elka took the bag and opened it, inspecting its contents. Relief quickly washed over her when she sighted her wallet, still filled with money, and her exam permit intact.

"You suddenly ran off. You can't possibly expect me to run after you."

"I bet you never planned to help me at all." Elka mumbled bitterly.

Law pretended not to hear her. "Let's just hurry up."

The two probably took an hour before reaching the train station. One main reason that held them back was Elka's broken lace. They had to take a detour to buy a new lace and replace it, and along the way Elka would trip. The Warlord suggested to carry her for the time being, but Elka repulsed the idea. This angered Law, prompting him to threaten her with his ability if she didn't obey but Elka stubbornly refused, insisting she was totally fine.

"In case you're unaware, I'm racing against time here." Law firmly stated. "It won't do me any good if your situation slows us down when there's an actual solution to resolve the problem efficiently."

"It's okay doctor, we're almost near the shop." Elka replied. "Let's just keep walking."

Law's patience quickly faded as Elka kept tripping up. Not later, he snapped, wordlessly lifted her over his shoulder and marched onward despite her protests. Elka was quick to submit, scanning the area as they traversed the streets until she found the store she was looking for. With her case soon settled, the duo hurried back to the main street, ultimately reaching the train station.

"We're headed to District H. It's four stations away from here so it's going to be a while before we reach the sea." Elka clarified as the two proceeded to fall in line.

"So the train here is as popular as the sea train." Law muttered to himself.

"Have you taken a ride on that sea train?" Elka wondered. He heard Law talking to himself and she couldn't help but ask as she was curious about Water 7's sea train.

"I have. Once."

"Really? How was it?"

"It was..impressive. Despite the waves of the sea, and a few sea monsters showing up now and then, the sea train didn't lose its tracks and kept running." Law spoke in a flat tone, yet his eyes looked thrilled.

Elka was satisfied with Law's response. She smiled and reminded the Warlord how boarding the train in her world was a battle. Law was still confused by this, but he would soon understand the meaning behind her words.

When the shuttle finally arrived, Elka nudged the pirate captain to brace himself for impact. As soon as the doors opened, the waves of commuters forced them forward. Elka figured Law might get separated so she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him near her, positioning themselves in the middle of the cart.

"Now do you understand?" Elka playfully smiled at the man.

"Do you always ride this?" Law incredulously asked.

"Not really. But I can tell you, the trains don't usually get this crowded." Elka almost fell over when a woman inadvertently inclined over her.

Law remained still, holding onto the peg that was attached overhead for support. Elka was clinging to him as she wasn't tall enough to reach said pegs. The reachable ones were already occupied by most people, so she opted to hold onto Law for support. She did give him a brief apology for it, only to be ignored. It wasn't a big deal, not to him at least.

When the train arrived at the first stop, few people got off but a lot replaced them. The two got sandwiched against each other, and Elka kept apologizing for it. Law did mind as it was uncomfortable and he was unused to that kind of travel situation, but he chose not to say anything and kept ignoring Elka's apologies.

By the second stop, most passengers got off and the two finally gained enough room to breathe. Still, all seats were occupied so they remained in their place.

Third stop, a crowd hopped in and the two somehow got separated at the sudden influx of passengers. Law could still see Elka though, as there were only two people between them, but the same cannot be said for Elka herself. The two people that blocked her off from Law were taller than her, and this worried her as the Warlord might forget they were getting off at the next station.

As the raven-haired contemplated her options, she felt a quick brush against her bottom. At first, she dismissed it as she considered their position. It was hard not to accidentally touch anyone in their current condition, but not later, she felt another brush against her. This did not sit well with Elka, disgusted by the idea of getting molested. It was the first time she got targeted by such, and she already got mugged earlier. She's just tired already, and another was messing with her.

When Elka felt the third attempt, she slightly turned her head and glanced down, searching for a certain foot. Once she determined her offender's position, she slowly raised her right leg and stomped down over his foot. A loud grunt of pain quickly followed, and the man had the audacity to scold her.

"Watch where you're stepping!"

"Watch where you're touching!" Elka shouted back.

Murmurs floated inside the car, unfeeling stares were on them.

Probably embarrassed, the man opted to defend himself. "As if! You're the one sticking to me, whore!"

"Like I do!" Elka snarled. She tried to wiggle away from the man and gain distance, but it was just too packed she couldn't even tell if her bag's still attached.

Seconds after, the issue quickly died down. Since Elka didn't exactly pointed out how the man was a molester and she wasn't too aggressive upon accusing him, people chose to ignore it. The man also retreated, eventually moving away from the gal as he was already called out. Elka couldn't believe how her day was going. It was bad luck since waking up, and criminals targeted her nonstop. She just wished nothing worse happens.

Soon, the train arrived at H District, and unsurprisingly, most passengers got off there. Elka called out to Law as she was about to step out of the train, waving at the man to make sure he saw her.

"I heard your voice earlier. What happened?" Law began as soon as they were reunited.

Elka was surprised. She didn't expect the Warlord to be worried about her, or perhaps, he was just curious.

"Nothing." she replied. She didn't have the energy to ramble about it, and above it all, she didn't want to jinx her already tough luck.

Unknown to her, Trafalgar Law saw and knew everything. The gal might have been unaware, but she was very expressive. Her face showed clear images of her current emotion and when he saw her frown, he figured something was up. Now Law wasn't all well-versed with _Observation Haki_ , but he's perfectly capable of using it to some extent. For example, knowing that there were no awake people at a kilometer radius the first time he arrived in her room.

Trafalgar Law caught sight of Elka's offender who was about to pass through the tollgate. It wasn't like he wanted to get back at him for whatever he's done to Elka, only, since he offended her, she would have no qualms with him making the guy his guinea pig, right?

"Elka- _ya_ , wait for me by the gates, okay?"

"What? Why? Do you even know where the gate is?"

Law shot her a glare. "Just do as I say. Now move."

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" Elka hurried after Law who was about to pass through the same tollgate. For the nth time, she was already worn out but that didn't mean she could carelessly let the Warlord go off on his own. Who knew what he could be up to? "I get it, I'll wait outside but at least tell me where you're off to."

Law stared down at Elka and saw the look on her face that tingled his senses. She just looked so anguished it was hard not to relish on the sight before him.

"If it would soothe your nerves then just come with me."

There was a deafening silence as they stood in front of the comfort rooms for men. Elka figured Law just wanted to use the restroom, so she apologized and attempted to excuse herself but -

 _Room_

With a wide smirk, Law created a spherical territory of light blue aura. He glanced at Elka who staggered at his public display of devil fruit power.

"Doctor! Stop this now!" she suddenly burst, grabbing him by the arm.

"Stop what? I haven't done anything yet." Law was fairly pleased with the reaction he received from the woman. He never really knew he had such dark feelings inside him, nevertheless, whether he was having fun or not wasn't the issue. He had to confirm one crucial thing, and that is, if his ability can work against the people of that world.

The fact that Elka was unaffected by his first attempt greatly weighed over him. So, to settle the matter, he had to try it to someone other than Elka. He had too many opportunities to try it already, but for the sake of securing Elka's cooperativeness, he held himself back. But now that he can give her a reason to allow him to do it, he didn't even think twice to take out the stealth knife she gave him, imbued it with _haki_ and swung forward into thin air.

Horror was written all over Elka's face when she heard a piercing scream coming from the men's comfort room. She felt a small quake under her feet as she watched the wholeness of the room sliding off in a slant.

Trafalgar Law, paying no mind to the screams that came after, stepped inside the said room and found his target. He was pleased to see that the man was indeed cut in half across his belly, and not only him, but another one who happened to be in there too. He didn't really plan to cut the whole building though, but his excitement got the better of him.

"Doctor! Quick! Fix it! Please!" Elka didn't even give it a second thought to rush inside the men's comfort room. She clasped at the hem of his hoody, lightly pulling it as she kept repeating the words 'quick' and 'fix it' over and over like a broken record.

Law chuckled darkly, and instead granting Elka's request, he brushed a hand over her cheek and muttered in a low tone, "You really look good wearing that expression."

Elka was flabbergasted by the man's demeanor. She felt terrified with his composure. She averted her gaze, only to find a familiar guy lying and another on the floor cut in two. There was no blood, organs and such. It was a clean cut, and although she'd seen it many times from the _Manga_ and _Anime_ , she never thought it would look so horrifyingly abhorrent.

"C-can you please..fix..." Elka struggled to find her voice as she felt her stomach churning and a strong urge to vomit. She didn't want to imagine how she might end up like that guy, but the thought kept crossing her mind as she was in fact together with the one who cut the man in half. Actually, he was even standing before her, oddly caressing her cheek and looking at her with a slight hint of fondness she couldn't comprehend.

 _I'm a doctor. I can't be shaken by such things! I'm going to encounter much more disgusting, revolting things in the hospital!_

Elka strengthened her resolve as she finally looked into Law's grey orbs. "Trafalgar Law, fix everything."

Law frowned, withdrawing his hand from her face. "I don't like getting ordered around."

Elka flinched. She huffed then restated her statement, "Please fix everything, doctor. Please?"

Law snorted. With a slight gesture of his hand, the sliding half of the room halted and quickly stuck itself on its original position. The Warlord then put away the stealth knife and held out both hands, gesturing at his victims as he manipulated their bodies to return to their normal appearance. The victims were already knocked out, probably because of the shock of discovering how their bodies abruptly separated into two.

Elka stepped out of the room to check the area. It seemed the people calmed down as soon as the quaking stopped. The security went hysterical though, checking and rechecking the whole place. She even heard a few saying they must have hallucinated or something, and soon they, too, calmed down. Still, there might be cameras which caught the strange event. Elka was certain it would be the headlines on the news later that evening and she hoped nothing serious would come out of it.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Honestly, I don't even know what I'm writing now, haha. Actually, I really have had this sort of plot in my head for a while now, like, how would fictional characters react if they stumble across our world, where we believe they are fiction. Also, I've been curious as to how we, people in reality, would actually react on things these fictional characters are capable of doing. At first I thought, we would be amazed, but then again, this is reality, and as far as I'm concerned that amazement may be quickly replaced by horror, because in actuality, people are afraid of the unknown. Anyhow, those are just my thoughts and I'm real sorry if this chapter disappointed you guys. I really appreciate you readers, and I would love it if you could also give me your two cents regarding this sort of plot/issue. Sorry for my long rambling. I don't usually ramble but you know, haha. I seriously suck. Sad life._**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Warning** : There will be **blood** and **violence** in this chapter and most likely, on the succeeding chapters too. I'm sorry if the warning came late, I kind of decided it's time for it. Please be warned._

 ** _P.S. I might change the rating. MIGHT._**

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Fourth Sign**_

"Please don't make my life harder than it should."

Elka was muttering grievances to herself as they resumed their journey. She was very low key on cursing the pirate captain, fearing that he may do more than he did once he heard her. She noticed it, how the Warlord enjoyed making her feel miserable. The first time, she didn't really mind. After all, he was brought into her world unwillingly, and so suddenly that made him react in a violent way. The second time, she thought it was probably unintentional. Considering he's fairly new to her world, she knew he'd be restless and eager to learn more in order to identify possible threats that may come his way. But the third time around, he openly expressed how he liked the grim expressions on her face. Elka still tried convincing herself she probably heard him wrong. It was Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death from One Piece, a calm and collected person, very calculative and careful, but was also described as sadistic.

 _Was this what Oda-sensei meant with Trafalgar Law's 'sadistic' description? That can't be right._

Elka giggled lightly. She thought it funny, as she couldn't recall how exactly was the Warlord 'sadistic' from the series itself. She even argued how Caesar Clown was worse than the surgeon himself, if Doflamingo didn't happen. Elka pondered the question of what makes a person sadistic, only to be yanked by the person in question.

"You don't plan to die on me, do you?" Law hissed, his grip tightening around Elka's arm.

In an instant, a cab in full throttle rushed past right in front of Elka. She couldn't remember when she lost sight of her surroundings, never realizing she almost crossed the road when cars were still going.

"You said red light means stop. What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry I didn't realize..." Elka felt her heart beating fast. If not for Law's interference, she would have been ran over by some car. She could have lost her life then and there. Silently, Elka reminded herself to stay attentive. She could think about trivial things once they're out of the road.

"You didn't answer."

Elka threw him a questioning look.

Law frowned. "I asked, what were you thinking?"

"Nothing important." Elka gazed back on the road. "Don't think too much about it, doctor. I was just careless is all."

"You realize it would cost your life."

"Of course. And I am grateful to you." Elka was quick to reply, her face stern. She didn't want to embarrass herself by admitting to the man how she was pondering such triviality.

"Are you, really?" Law challenged.

This made Elka sigh. She had an idea of what the Warlord was after. "Is there any particular request you'd like to ask of me?"

"A lot, actually." Law quickly replied. As he was about to speak further, the light turned green, prompting him to move first before continuing, "One, I'd like a snail transponder. I need to contact someone."

Elka gave a small chuckle. "Snail transponders don't exist here, doctor. If there's someone you need to call, I'll let you borrow my cell."

"Cell?"

"Here." Elka pulled out her cellphone from her jeans's right pocket. It was the same device she showed Law when he asked for a map.

"I thought this was a map..?" Law was confused. He didn't understand how that thing could function as a map _and_ as a transponder.

"It's a cellphone. In this world, we use this device for pretty much everything. As long as there's internet, we can contact anyone anywhere. If there's no connection, we load it up for using paid services." Elka explained. She tapped a few buttons over it before asking, "So, what's their number?"

Law took a while absorbing all of it. "Number? You need a number to call using that?"

"Of course. Now, let's hear it. I'll punch it in for you."

"Forget it. It's no use." Law curtly said, his apathetic visage barely veiling his annoyance.

Elka seemed to catch on slow considering she was a big fan of the One Piece world.

Although Law was reluctant, he felt obligated to expound the meaning of his words. "We don't punch numbers or any keys in to call anyone. There's just a button attached to them, and we rely on the snail's ability to communicate telepathically through radio waves."

Elka's lips pursed as her wonder was quickly replaced by understanding. Her ears lightly rung in shame, her face heated up in embarrassment. It wasn't like she was unaware of it, she just forgot at that moment the difference in communication between One Piece world and her reality. In Elka's defense, she was weary and hungry.

 _That's right. I haven't eaten breakfast yet._ Elka peered over her phone to check the time.

It was quarter to twelve.

Elka gazed up at the sky. She didn't realize how it was almost high-time for lunch as the sun was hiding behind the clouds. Judging by the cumulus, she figured it was going to rain. She was still uncertain if it was going to be heavy, but she hoped it's just a light drizzle.

"Doctor, are you hungry?" she suddenly asked, glancing up at the pirate captain.

Law was partly surprised, as he didn't really feel hungry until the girl opened the subject. Food was the least of his worries, but he considered Elka's condition so he agreed to eat first before proceeding to their destination.

The duo took a cab to reach the Seaside Coast. Elka told Law there was a good and affordable restaurant established near the sea, implying how it was definitely not a waste of time. Law was satisfied with that information and silently observed the scenery while Elka spoke with the cab driver.

Roughly fifteen minutes and the cab stopped by at an allotted space for customers in front of an establishment. It was a building made of bricks colored in black with maroon roofs. It looked like a simple cafe with its huge windows and wooden tables by it. There were also a few people dining outside and bicycles were parked by their tables.

"Thank you sir." Elka paid the fare and the two finally got out of the cab.

Law took his time savoring the sight of the sea, the salty wind gently blowing his anxieties away. He was glad it looked the same, and felt fairly nostalgic as the sound of the waves by the shore drifted to his ears.

Elka studied Law's face as he tenderly gazed at the coast's horizon. She understood how the man had been feeling since. He was anxious, although he never showed it, and he found solace just by the sight of the sea. Elka felt a little guilty with the pirate's situation. Although she still had no concrete understanding how the man wound up in her world, she figured she might have done something - triggered something that made such phenomenon to occur. The fact that Trafalgar Law's persona, ability and power remained true in reality meant that he was in fact more than a fictional being. Their world acknowledged his whole being, and although it sounded far-fetched, she couldn't deny everything she witnessed.

 _There must be a way to return him back to One Piece! I have to help him!_

Elka was just realizing by then how the Surgeon of Death had been putting up a front. She noted how the man's shoulders dropped a few centimeters by then, how his cold grey eyes looked warmly over the sea's direction, how a small, kind smile was plastered on his face and that tiny sigh of relief he huffed before turning to her.

Elka jolted when their eyes met. He caught her staring intently at him, making her apologize in response.

"I'm sorry! Please excuse my rudeness!"

"You sound like Bepo. Stop apologizing for every little thing." Law gestured towards the cafe. "Besides, weren't you hungry?"

=/=

The interior of the cafe was cool and well-lit. The whole place was painted in light colors, colorful paintings of different sizes decorated its walls and there was also a cozy stone fireplace placed between glass windows gazing out at the coast. The tables and chairs were both made from wood to which Law suspected was mahogany as their timber had rich colors.

The place looked practically deserted as there were only them, a young couple seated at a corner and three persons behind the counter. Elka assumed that most of their customers chose to eat outside as the view and the cool wind brewed from the sea was preferable.

Elka stepped in front of the counter as she examined the menu that was presented in a chalkboard above said counter.

"I've eaten here before and their pancakes are great." Elka glanced at Law who was just about to step closer.

Law was curious at the glass shelf display beside the counter as there were several bottles arranged in there that he didn't recognize. Despite his curiosity, he refrained asking.

"So? What else do they have?" he glanced up and patiently read the menu. He was relieved to find out he was able to read and understand their written language.

"Os Cafe is well-known for their breakfast meals. You should check them out."

"If I may suggest, our bestsellers are 'omelette of the day' and 'garden omelette'. Our customers also liked our sandwiches. We have a variety-"

"I don't like bread." Law interrupted, not letting the personnel on the cash register finish her sentence.

Elka lightly pulled at Law's arm and spoke out in hopes of clearing any misunderstanding if there were any made. "We'll order pancakes. Two please. For the beverage, just water."

The cashier smiled and quietly punched the order in. She then relayed the order to her crew members in the kitchen, cuing them to start.

After Elka paid, the duo chose to seat near the fireplace. Sitting face to face, the two began to talk, privately.

"Doctor, Os Cafe is famous for their bread. People around here loves bread, and most dishes here are served with wheat toast or sourdough together." Elka told Law in her softest voice. The place was fairly quiet if not for the faint music playing in the background. She had to tone down her voice to avoid letting anyone hear her.

"I thought you knew me from that book of yours. You should have known I dislike bread." Law replied in an equally quiet tone. It wasn't like he had the same concerns as Elka, it was just how he normally talks.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I forgot." Elka sheepishly answered back. She was aware Law disliked a certain food, but she just couldn't remember what it was. "I'll have you know, bread is a staple food in our culture."

"All the more reason to leave this place." Law snorted. He never planned to stay for long in that hellhole in the first place.

"I know but we haven't got a clue how you even got here." Elka sighed. "All right, while we wait, let's brainstorm."

Law raised an eyebrow. "Brainstorm?"

"Yes. Tell me what you remember doing the last time you were in your world, and I'll tell you what I did before your assault."

Law paused for a moment and stared at Elka's face. She looked fairly determined, and by the sound of it, she was considerably willing to help him find a way out. This pleased the man.

"I was in my room." Law began. "Not exactly my 'own' room as I was just..taking a lift from a marine battleship headed for Punk Hazard." his eyes narrowed on Elka, debating whether it was fine to divulge any further information to the woman, until he decided it wasn't even worth mentioning and continued, "I took a nap, just a short nap, but it turns out to be the worst decision I made."

Elka was nodding her head lightly as she listened to the pirate captain's story. From his statement alone, she determined he was the Trafalgar Law of two years skip based on One Piece's timeline, although she was unsure if it was the time the Straw Hats arrived in Punk Hazard or even before that.

"Okay, my turn." Elka paused for a moment, contemplating whether she should be perfectly blunt with the man or lie a bit. She thought it wasn't even lying if she didn't give him the whole truth. "Yesterday, of course I had class. My class ends by four and I go home by bus. Once I was home, I changed clothes, opened my PC and watched the latest episode for One Piece which I missed last weekend. After that, I cleaned and rearranged my figure collection for the second time this month. I do it twice a month."

Law carefully listened. Although it seemed her backtracking was far-off, he considered its potential relevance to the matter.

But Elka abruptly stopped and didn't say anything further.

"Is that all?" Law inquired. He didn't quite get anything from her statement.

Elka was fidgeting in her seat. She couldn't even look at Law directly, constantly rolling her eyes to her side, obviously avoiding his gaze.

"You proposed this. If there's more, let me hear it." Law insisted. He disliked people keeping secrets from him, especially if it was related to him.

Elka's face was turning red. "Since..it's a holiday, I didn't study and read some, well, err.. _doujinshi._ "

" _Doujinshi_? What's that?"

"Err, it's like a book of sorts." Elka averted her gaze from the man. "Anyway, after that, I was on Xteam until midnight before I went to sleep."

Law frowned. There were a few terms he didn't understand. Regardless, he didn't ask further as Elka looked visibly flustered just by revealing those things. He figured they may be sensitive matters in that world, and he was not interested on such things.

"I don't see the point. Nothing connects." Law finally said, his tone clearly suggests his frustration.

"That's true..." Elka regained her composure when she heard the man. The only common thing they did was sleep afterwards.

"Excuse me." a male waiter interrupted the two as he was about to serve their freshly cooked pancakes. "Here's your order. Please enjoy."

The two proceeded to eat their food, but when Law took a bite of his, Elka couldn't help but watch him.

"You don't like bread but you're okay with pancakes?" Elka suddenly asked.

Law shot her a mean look. "Let me guess, because both are made with flour?"

"Yes!" Elka's face brightened, seemingly oblivious of the Warlord's menacing stare.

Law sighed. Just seeing that stupid look on her face made him feel spent. "You wonder about the strangest things."

"So, why do you hate bread so much?"

"Because I _hate_ them. Now leave the subject and start eating."

"So it's not because of flour? I thought it was more of a nutritional issue."

"As a doctor, I would recommend bread as a good source of carbohydrates. You should know that as well." Law deadpanned. He resumed eating, leaving Elka wanting further explanation.

"So, why do you hate bread so much?"

"You realize you're just repeating the same question you asked earlier."

"Please, I'm really curious." Elka's body was already leaning forward, her shirt almost touching the honey syrup over her pancakes.

"I already said I just hate them."

"Is there any trauma related to it? Like, maybe, you accidentally ate a burnt sandwich and your tastebuds have been messed up since?"

Law looked incredulously at the gal who in turn looked at him expectantly.

"Look, Elka- _ya_ , there's nothing more in it. I simply do not like bread." Law's patience was crumbling and it took all efforts to stop himself from _ending_ the girl. He took a deep breath before glaring at her, "Now I'd like you to finish your food so we could leave, or are you _asking_ to get hurt?"

Elka got the message and resumed eating. She was a bit relieved to know Law was like any other ordinary human being for simply disliking things without any deep meaning. Still, she scolded herself for pushing her luck too much wanting to make the Warlord feel at ease with her.

=/=

"This is the Seaside Coast. I can't exactly bring you to a pier so there are no big ships around here. Just those small and medium ones." Elka announced as soon as they reached the waterfront. It was an open coastal region, free for everyone to stroll into. Rarely, one or two yachts may be seen there save for a few sailboats frequenting the waterfront.

Law only held a steady gaze at the horizon. Being near the sea truly eased him but the lack of clues and signs regarding his current situation made him feel antsy. He didn't exactly know how the sea would help him to get a way back to his own dimension and although it was unlikely of him, the Warlord hoped something out of the ordinary would just pop out of nowhere, tell him 'this is the way' and be over the nightmare he was going through. He very well knew he was practically asking for a miracle to happen and he thought it was deplorable for someone like him to resort to such wishful thinking.

Elka couldn't tell if it was okay to speak as Law seemed to be lost deep in his thoughts. She waited for the man to say something, anything at all, until deciding to just leave him to his own devices for the time being and randomly looked at anything she found interesting. Elka rarely went out on a trip like that anyway, considering how she's stuck with her common route between her school and dorm so it was one opportunity to take in the surroundings. She did went on vacation, but she preferred staying indoors watching _Anime_ or reading _Manga_.

The two just stood there, pointlessly gazing at the sea until thunder rumbled. Not later, a light shower followed.

"Doctor, I didn't bring any umbrella." Elka said as she looked up at the sky. She held her palms up, feeling the fine droplets on her skin. "If this drizzle become rain, we won't get to anywhere."

Law remained silent. He approached the seashore and crouched down, dipping a hand in the little waves. Instantly, he felt weak, confirming his weakness against seawater still holds true. Satisfied, he went back to Elka's side.

"Let's go."

=/=

The two soon found themselves back on the train station. Law was silent ever since despite Elka's occasional remarks about the places they came across. Whenever Elka tried to strike a conversation, Law would only spare her a glance, nothing more. This made Elka feel scared as she didn't understand what was going through the Warlord's mind. Although he didn't seem mad, he held a serious look which would have repelled her if not for the fact he's with her.

"Um, once we get back to En City, we'll go to the mall." Elka reminded. She already told the Warlord of her plans back on the cab, but she just couldn't bear the tense silence.

Law did not respond. He only looked at her for a second then returned his gaze ahead.

When the train arrived, the car wasn't as crowded as before. Elka attempted to find a vacant seat only to find out all seats were occupied. With a sigh, she just stood in the middle, again, with Law standing beside her.

In the next station, a huge crowd rode the train. Unlike before, Law clutched Elka's forearm to ensure they didn't get separated when the influx of commuters squeezed in. Elka was fairly surprised by this, prompting her to question the pirate captain's reason for it, only to receive a cold shoulder. Elka didn't mind as it was more convenient to stay that way. She was practically hugging him and she appreciated the warmth his body gave off.

Arriving at En City Station, Elka was quite relieved nothing happened. She figured that with Law holding her during the whole trip, it probably warded off those perverts. She was thankful for the Warlord's gesture despite not knowing his true motives for doing so. After all, she really didn't want to get harassed for the second time.

The two traversed the roads silently as if they were strangers coincidentally taking the same path. When they reached the mall Elka was referring to, she took the initiative to break the awkward silence between them.

"I just need to buy a book and a few medical equipment." Elka told Law, but the man only nodded his head.

Law decided to walk a step behind Elka like earlier as she was practically guiding him inside the building. There were tons of people walking back and forth too, most of them carrying shopping bags or pushing carts. It was a busy establishment, with plenty of merchants stationed at each stalls, some calling out to customers while others preferred to give out flyers instead.

"Sometimes I come here just to look at random merchandise." Elka spoke again. She was desperate to make Law speak as his abrupt silence unnerved her.

"Are there any weapon merchants here?" Law decided to talk.

Elka felt relieved upon hearing the doctor's voice. "There are but not the kind of shop you're probably expecting."

"Besides knives disguised as combs, what other weapons does your world have?"

"Mostly guns. There are swords too but most of them, genuine or not, are used as decoration instead as weapons."

Law hummed. He didn't expect there was a huge similarity of weaponry between their worlds, but it was quite reassuring. In his situation, information was his best weapon.

"Now that I think about it, what is the equivalent of the World Government here?"

Elka twirled her head in shock upon hearing Law's question. She looked at him wide-eyed, fear vivid from her eyes. "You didn't just-"

"Relax. I'm just curious."

Elka paused for a moment. "Please doctor, don't cause any commotion." her voice trembled.

Law narrowed his eyes on Elka. "I've been wondering, why are you so scared? If I understood correctly, I'm the only ability-user in this world of yours."

"That's what's scaring me the most. You're the _only_ one." Elka resumed walking and Law followed suit. "You see, people are afraid of the unknown. _I_ am afraid of the unknown."

"Didn't you know me? When I showed you my powers, you acted like you knew what's happening."

"It's true I'm aware of your devil fruit ability, but that doesn't mean I understand it." Elka gulped hard before adding, "Look, you were a fictional character. You weren't real. You were just a fantasy."

Law was peeved at Elka's words. "You didn't just provoke me."

"I used _past_ tense." Elka quickly replied, her heart almost stopping by the Warlord's dangerous tone. "I - everyone thinks you're not real, so of course no one would believe that creepy power of yours, at least not until they do get hurt."

"But I can use it." Law held his hand forward showing Elka a light blue aura spinning just below his palm. "And you've seen it twice today."

"Right. Now see, because it's almost impossible for someone to possess such powers, people won't believe it. It's part of our fear. If it's something out of the ordinary, it's probably _not_ real. That's how we think. They may think you're just psychic, while most people would probably think it's just special effects."

"Special effects?"

"That maybe we're just shooting a film."

"Film?" Law was quite shocked with how Elka put it. He thought it stupid. Why would people even consider it was just special effects or a film? "That's just idiotic. If most of your people think this way, it's no wonder if you get suddenly wiped out."

"That's going too far, doctor." Elka forced a smile as they took a turn at a street. "We're here."

Elka casually walked inside a shop filled with books. Law remained outside and patiently waited for the gal to finish her business in that particular store. He observed the folks in his vicinity while pondering over that last conversation. The Warlord couldn't imagine how people were naive. He thought he could probably massacre everyone in that book shop save for Elka and expect those people walking outside to dismiss it with the belief of being 'special effects' - a 'film'. From that idea alone, Trafalgar Law understood the source of Elka's fear. He had power to destroy her home while she didn't have any to protect it.

Still, he wondered about the world's security. If they did have such, then military power was also present, so why was Elka too scared for him to cause a ruckus? Was she implying he wouldn't stand a chance against their world's militia?

 _That can't be._

"Doctor?"

Law turned to look at the source of the voice, finding Elka standing beside him carrying a brown paper bag.

"I'm done here, let's go to the next shop."

Trafalgar Law was torn between simply asking Elka regarding their world's government or just outright demonstrate half of his power in order to clear up the issue about 'strength'. It bugged him, how Elka was so adamant with him staying low. She feared him, that much he understood, and he naturally welcomed that. Still, when he did use his power, even towards her aggressor, she didn't even thought twice to stop him.

 _Why would she even care about that guy? He harassed her._ Her fear of him was palpable, yet she immediately forgets it when someone else is in danger. Law was infinitely displeased by it.

"Here it is! Finally!"

Elka exclaimed gleefully as she held in her hand a green stethoscope. She glanced at Law, smiled and told the man to wait for her while she pays for the said item. The Warlord silently obeyed, his eyes never leaving Elka until all of a sudden, a gunshot rang by the entrance.

There was a short scream and people panicked about until a loud announcement was made. "Alright everyone put your hands on the back of your head! NOW!"

The door was locked shut and a group of masked people waving guns and knives quickly rounded up the rest of the customers, including Law and Elka.

The Warlord was used to such cliched thugs as he encountered a few back when he was still venturing out in North Blue. Even in Grand Line, there were a few bandits who dared to cross him and got what they deserved. But it was a different world, and although Law _should_ be able to make quick work out of them, he chose not to, not because he didn't feel like it, but because he couldn't. _Yet_.

Law stared hard at the guy pointing a knife at Elka's back while twisting her arm upon restraining her. He could care less with Elka getting roughed up but it didn't mean he'd let her die. She was the only clue he had, and Law was not about to lose his only card for getting back.

"Now stand at the back, people!" the standing leader announced, gesturing at his minions to guide their victims to the said place. He then proceeded to the cash register and threatened the cashier, prompting the said person to open the cash register and give the robber everything inside it.

Law made subtle movements to get closer to Elka. The fact that he was taller than any of the crooks was an advantage to him, so he carefully strode in a slant direction until he reached Elka.

"So, Elka- _ya_ , what's your plan?" Law muttered under his breath. He didn't want to alert any of the robbers as it may cause Elka's inevitable demise.

Elka was glad Law didn't immediately fight back. "Just let it pass." she whispered, shutting her eyes in nervousness. "I'm no hero. All I can do is to pray that nothing worse happens." she was ashamed by her powerlessness but she knew even if she did have that stealth knife with her, she wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. If she was foolish enough to brave it, her life was forfeit.

Law was amused by this. He was pleased to know Elka actually valued her life. Disgraceful or not, the fact that she was able to think things through and choose the best option to preserve her life was impressive. The Warlord decided not to do anything to honor Elka's honesty. Besides, he was already satisfied just seeing Elka's fright.

Not long though, sirens blared loudly just outside the store before the robbers could even exit. The police's response was swift thanks to a few bystanders quickly reporting the scene. In their city, despite the crime rate being fairly low, news of such was always on the list in the evening headlines everyday. It was Elka's first experience of such, making her curse how her luck had finally ran out.

The Warlord was unfamiliar with the sound of the siren but he was quick to understand what it was. Judging by the victims' sighs and the criminals' panic, it was the signal for 'justice' to butt in and help civilians. Law lightly giggled at the thought.

"It's the _marines_ , correct?" Law glanced at Elka who only stared blankly at the wall.

"They're called the police. It's good they're here."

"Do you think a fight may break out?" Law's tone was moderate but it failed to disguise his venomous undertone.

Elka grew nervous. She stared at the man, carefully studying his features. He looked composed like usual, but she caught that 'thrilled vibe' from the way he asked. "Please doctor, I've been begging you since, don't do anything reckless." Elka hissed, her voice almost rising.

Law couldn't suppress a chuckle. "I was just curious. You worry so much."

"Hey you two! Stop talking!" one of the robbers nudged Law's and Elka's back respectively with his gun's muzzle.

"Are you celebrating because the police are here?! HA! AS IF!" a booming voice echoed throughout the shop, quickly followed by a woman's shriek. "You're all our hostages! Those idiots won't be able to lift a finger for you morons!"

The crook dragged the woman by the door and pointed his gun at her head, threatening the police that if they didn't let them go, they'd kill all victims in the shop. As they all listened to the man's declaration, Elka shook violently in terror.

 _I don't want to die._ This phrase kept repeating over and over in her head, but she made an effort to calm herself down and hope for the best. She psyched herself up. _It's going to be okay._ She told herself. Her breathing became labored, her heart almost jumping out of her rib cage, her eyes turning glassy as tears began to well up under her eyelids.

Law understood her fear. She nearly yelped when she heard a loud crack from outside. All of the victims grew restless as time passed.

"So, Elka- _ya_ , what's your plan?" Law asked, repeating the same question he asked earlier, but this time, mockingly. Elka's reaction implied she forgot Law was present and that he could very well save her life.

Elka glanced up at him, a tear trickling down her face. "Doctor..." she uttered, but didn't say more. She wanted to ask for help but she figured the Warlord might just make everything worse.

"Tell me, what should I do?" Law asked again, almost challenging her.

Elka looked down. She almost want to shout the words, but she convinced herself to remain logical. If Law was never there, she had to have faith on the police. "Don't do anything...please..."

Law clicked his tongue in annoyance. He swore he was going to massacre everyone in the vicinity. "Why are you so-"

"AH!"

Unexpectedly, the lead robber pulled Elka by the hair and forcibly dragged her towards the door. They didn't notice how two people - both women - were already killed. He picked at random, his favorite being women.

"Hey-!" Law was about to protest when a lackey thrust the barrel of a gun against his chin.

"Don't move or I'll blow your brains out!"

Trafalgar Law contemplated for a while how he would butcher the guy before finally deciding to just cut the man's throat. He grabbed the sharp knife that was protruding from the man's satchel and swiftly stabbed him at the side of his neck, making sure he hit the carotid artery to ensure death.

This exhibit of his caused turmoil among the victims and criminals alike as a lot of blood gushed out from the man's neck. It also alarmed Elka, seeing how all of the masked men holding guns were now pointing at Law. He was outnumbered, and this worried the gal.

Law raised his hands up in surrender without dropping the knife he swiped. He looked at the man who stopped dragging Elka away midway to point his own pistol to the Warlord.

"Look, I just want you to free the girl." Law deadpanned. He held the man's gaze which visibly irritated the man, demonstrating his annoyance by firing his gun and grazing Law's left cheek.

"She your girlfriend? Huh? So you playing hero? Huh?! YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR PLACE, STUPID!" the man angrily thrust the nose of the gun between Elka's breasts, clearly trying to provoke the Warlord, but never giving him a chance to retort back. "KILL HIM!"

Immediately, those who held guns fired at the signal and Law had nowhere to run. In a swift motion, Law crouched down to pick up the body of one lackey. Serving as a meat shield, it effectively protected him whilst he created his spherical space around the whole shop. Everyone present flinched when they caught a glimpse of an expanding light blue aura surrounding them but quickly dismissed the matter when they no longer see it.

"You bastard! You would use someone as a shield?!" one lackey shouted, seemingly aghast with Law's actions.

"You're trying to kill me, don't expect me to just let you." Law got up and held out the corpse in front of him with its neck bleeding steadily added with a few bullet holes all over its body. "If you want, I can give you your _buddy_ back. In exchange, give me the girl."

"SHUT UP YOU PSYCHO! HE'S ALREADY DEAD!" in an outburst, the man kept firing his gun. It seemed he lost his mind upon witnessing such brutality. This made Law think they might be newbies in that line of work.

"HEY! STOP!"

Everyone ducked and tried to find shelter from the continuous firing while Law just stood there as the corpse he was holding covered for him. He was well aware that Elka was unaffected by his ability so switching her with anything won't work. Law figured he had to go about it the hard way, and although it was seriously inconvenient, he welcomed the challenge.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Please bear with me. I'm real sorry this is such a cliffhanger like, I swore never to end any chapter this way but it's already too long (I didn't realize lol). Also, sorry if this took a while. I already had the scene in my head but ya know, other scenes just keep popping up I can't decide which to show first. Anyway, thank you so much for reading!**_

 _ **sarge1130 - I just realized from your comment that you're also a collector. It's true this is his figurine with the Punk Hazard outfit, ya know, by Megahouse. I'm glad you liked the story, as a fellow collector, it encouraged me to write more! :)**_

 _ **everyone - thank you so much! I hope I didn't disappoint you, although I probably, already did with this chapter. Please forgive me.. D:**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Omen**

 _ **Fifth Sign**_

There was tension among the police force surrounding the shop. They've already lost two civilians without even getting at least one of the criminals to balance out their scores. It intensified when they spotted an expanding light blue aura originating from within the shop. They didn't know what it was, and when it touched the bumpers of their police cars, it prompted them to back away. Soon it stopped expanding and when it did, the police observed it for a minute. They couldn't comprehend if their eyes were just playing with them, or maybe it was just light similar to how a rainbow was formed considering the weather.

But the sun wasn't out yet, and the sky was looking as gloomy as before. Heck, it didn't even rain hard yet, just a light drizzle.

Seeing no changes from their police cars, all policemen present agreed it was probably harmless.

 _Probably._

The one with the megaphone cautiously approached the light blue aura, bracing himself for the worse as he thrust an arm towards it.

Nothing happened.

Deeming it was safe to ignore the light's presence, the police force quickly got back to their previous position, only to realize how it's been a while since that robber came out with a hostage. They couldn't make any careless actions, nor can they make reckless assumptions. Their job was hard, and frankly, they've been subjected to culpable scenarios, especially with sticking to their protocol of avoiding using deadly force as much as possible.

"Before the light appeared, several continuous gunshots were heard. We believe the criminals had a falling out. I repeat, we believe the criminals had a falling out!" that was their latest update. Worst case, the victims' lives were probably claimed by the criminals' sudden outburst. They tried to give another warning by use of megaphones again, but they didn't get a response. The police force couldn't recklessly storm the shop and only waited for a visual report from their technology department who was currently trying to connect at the camera that was installed in that particular shop.

=/=

Meanwhile, Trafalgar Law took pains to keep Elka alive. He had to make sure all bullets flying towards Elka's direction was switched with anything light and blunt to avoid injuring the girl, plus, he had to defend himself. It didn't go on for long anyhow as the outraged stooge quickly ran out of bullets.

"Doctor! Don't kill them!" Elka shouted out of the blue.

This prompted her captor to gag her by choking her neck around his arm. "Shut up, bitch! You think he can kill _all_ of us?!"

 _Of course I can._ Trafalgar Law thought to himself. He dropped his meat shield, leaving it in such a sorry state before tossing his blood soaked knife towards Elka's captor. The knife stopped right in front of Elka, and both her and the robber stared down on said object as if it was something out of context.

The room fell silent. Everyone stayed still except for the one lackey who ran out of bullets, for he suddenly felt weak in the knees, dropping his weapon and falling back on his bottom in the process.

Law raised his hands up in surrender once more, but this time he was completely unarmed. He stared at the man and at Elka respectively, his eyes staying on the said girl. She looked fairly surprised and it thrilled the Warlord. He figured she thought he was never going to listen to her, and of course she was right, he just felt like giving her room to breathe before the main dish.

Elka's captor was stunned for a moment. Once he finally understood what was happening, he let out a small laugh and swiftly pointed his pistol towards Law.

"See that? You're just like those idiots outside! Can't do a damn thing when other lives are at stake!"

"I'll say this again." Law spoke, quietly.

The robber flinched upon hearing the man speak. Panicked, he quickly poked his gun back to the woman captive and threatened, "I'm seriously going to kill her! Shut up!"

"I just want you to free the girl."

It all happened in a split second. Trafalgar Law was standing right in front of him, his face just a few inches closer to him. Instinctively, he pulled the trigger, but after the bang he felt pain on his chest, and it seemed his shirt was getting soaked. And then it struck him, when did he broke his wrist?

The man's life quickly faded as the bullet pierced through his heart. His grip on Elka eventually loosened and soon, he fell down on his back, blood pooling underneath him.

"See? That wasn't even too hard, was it?" Law said, mocking the dead. He then placed a hand over Elka's shoulder. "You're a handful, you know that?" he whispered to her ear, almost teasing.

Elka trembled at the touch. She very well knew what just occurred and she didn't have enough courage to glance back at her offender. She kept convincing herself she was going to encounter horrendous, graphic injuries in the hospital someday but a single voice told her, _this is different_. She could feel the warm blood droplets that was sprayed over her right shoulder up to her nape, and the stench of blood, although fairly faint due to the presence of functioning exhausts, smelled strongly under her nose.

"YOU BASTARD!"

After witnessing such sorcery, the remaining thugs lost their wits. Their standing leader died on them, and they didn't even capture how he got that bullet hole over his chest. He just suddenly staggered after the sound of gunfire, and although they were certain the one who fired was their boss, they couldn't comprehend how he would fire it at himself.

But their guns simultaneously got replaced by random objects from who knows where. They didn't know how it happened, when it happened, or better yet, what the actual fuck was happening.

Quickly though, few who brought an extra weapon, specifically a knife, brandished it in an attempt to threaten Law once more. One lackey had a bright idea of grabbing a nearby civilian and declared he would kill said victim if Law did not fall back.

"I will really kill him!" he shouted.

The Warlord only smirked in contempt at the guy's poorly executed provocation. Honestly, he was beginning to feel sorry for the remaining robbers as crossing him _always_ meant death, but for Elka's sake, he told himself to be a _bit_ nice.

Unless they test him.

"Go ahead." Law flatly announced.

The lackey was clearly shocked by the response he got. He was lost, and more so became confused. "What did you say?"

"I said, go a-"

"Doctor!" Elka yelled, finally snapping out of her daze. She had been frozen stiff for a while as she still couldn't believe - _couldn't accept_ what was unfolding before her. She had to swallow hard, to punch herself awake, to accept everything was happening in real time. "How could you say that?!"

Suddenly, probably due to the adrenaline rush kicking in, another lackey dared interfere running up at Law. The Warlord responded quickly, he removed Elka's hair tie and held it in front of him, taking a stance to meet his opponent's blade.

" _Shambles._ "

It happened fast. The two clashed and bewilderment enveloped everyone present in the room, victim and criminal alike, as they watched the clearly armed robber fall back with a stab wound over his chest. The man himself looked perplexed, staring incredulously at the cook knife that Law held in his hand.

"How...? Just now..you didn't have..!" the man wheezed, clutching at his chest before falling down on his knees.

Law smiled. "Odd, huh?"

And they relapsed in silence. The criminals looked like they were getting goosebumps, wide-eyed as they burned the image of Law smiling wryly at them.

"Bullshit!" one other lackey dared to assault Law but this time, thinking it was clever, he aimed for the girl standing beside him. He thought if he couldn't kill the guy, then he should just kill the woman he saved.

But despite not looking like it, Trafalgar Law was also physically strong, and swift. So he grabbed Elka by the wrist, yanked her behind him and-

"Don't kill them!"

Law was startled when Elka screamed. His concentration broke and along with it was the retraction of his 'room'. Unable to carry out his initial move, the Warlord opted to just parry the strike. In his annoyance, he grasped the man's arm, broke his wrist making him drop his weapon, buckled both legs, finishing it with a blow to his nape by the knife's hilt knocking him unconscious.

Elka, who watched their brawl in panic, clutched Law's arm after seeing him cripple his opponent. She pleaded the Warlord to stop, insisting he didn't have to shed more blood.

Angry, Law grabbed Elka by the collar. "Stop your nonsense and obediently get saved!"

"You don't have to kill them! Just restraining them is fine! Please!"

"They tried to kill _you_! Are you so naive to save your assailant?"

Elka didn't respond. She only held Law's gaze, glaring back at him defiantly. She thought she wouldn't get her point across even if they snapped at each other like that. They were still caught up in the heat of struggle, obviously not the time to fight against each other.

Law waited. He waited for the woman to speak. It was probably the first time Elka openly glared daggers at him, bravely defying him directly. He acknowledged Elka might have some moral issues towards his actions, after all, it seemed she was such a docile person, but he contended he was a pirate and Elka should keep it in mind.

Everyone was still and silent. Despite witnessing the two main stars of the event bicker, the remaining thugs couldn't get themselves to jump at them. They were distracted, it was a great opportunity to strike back at _him_ , but they didn't because it finally dawned on them, they were doomed from the very beginning.

"WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED! THERE'S NOWHERE FOR YOU TO RUN! RELEASE YOUR HOSTAGES AND PEACEFULLY GIVE UP!"

Due to the commotion that has been going on, no one really did hear and understand clearly whatever that loud, somewhat static, voice booming from outside was trying to convey. Upon hearing the words and comprehending them, Law knew it was the perfect chance to end it.

"Oi, be grateful, you actually have a choice going on." Law turned and looked at the remaining thugs one by one. "Which will it be? Those 'people outside'..." Law drawled, halting for a moment assessing their mental state. "or maybe _death_?"

=/=

When the police decided to storm the place, they were met with a group of masked men - numbering to three. Their hands were raised up in surrender and stood still as they waited for their arrest. The police was fairly surprised by this, nonetheless, they proceeded to seize the criminals and secured the site of confrontation.

Entering the shop was most astonishing. Besides the catastrophic state of the shop where everywhere you look there were bullet holes, there was a masked man sprawled out on the floor drenched in a pool of blood and a few steps ahead of it was two other masked men, both lying face down, presumably still alive. At the far back was a bloody mess, a body filled with bullet holes lay there. They only determined it was one of the masked men thanks to the black mask covering its head, otherwise, they couldn't even tell what it really was. They found several victims, including Elka and Law crowding on a corner at the back, most of them sustaining scrapes from the bullets and sprayed with blood. Upon calling an ambulance for assistance, the police proceeded to gather the victims and asked for their witness statements.

Victims sustaining heavy injuries were quickly carried to an ambulance and taken care of. The two criminals that were heavily wounded were also brought by another ambulance with an officer or two accompanying them, same thing with the dead.

The victims were fairly cooperative and had identical testimonies. One particular comment was: 'the guy in black hoody saved us'. Despite this, they noted one little remark they got from _two_ of the victims which said, 'the guy in black hoody was _terrifying_ '.

When they asked Elka to testify, she told them the same statement but they added a few more questions.

"Is it true you were with your boyfriend?"

Elka paused, she thought for a bit before clarifying, "Yes, but he's not my boyfriend. He's my cousin, a very close one too."

The officer wrote it down on a small notebook and continued, "Is it true he accidentally killed one of the robbers to save you?"

Elka mentally took note of the word ' _accidentally_ '. "Yes. The robber suddenly grabbed my hair so my cousin fought back to save me."

After writing it down, the officer sighed. "We apologize that you had to experience this. It must have been traumatizing." his tone sounded genuinely worried.

Elka felt the man's compassion it almost moved her to tears. "That's true, officer, it was truly...traumatizing..." she rasped.

On the other hand, Law was also getting interrogated. They asked the same questions and Law replied as Elka taught him.

"...I wanted to save my cousin." Law stated. He disliked what came after that so he ended it with, "I think that is all you need to know."

Like Elka, he was asked a few more questions.

"Is it - ah, she's your cousin?"

"...Correct."

"Is it true you accidentally killed one of the robbers in order to save her?"

"Yes."

The officer waited for a more detailed reply, but Law said no more than that, so he pressed on, "Can you elaborate?"

Law looked at the officer for a moment. "I was held at gunpoint." he paused. "It was self-defense."

The officer wrote it down and continued, "So you took his knife and stabbed him with it?"

Law faintly nodded. "...Yes."

"Is it true you played a hand for their leader's death and injuring two of them?"

"...Yes."

After jotting it down on his notebook, he apologized in behalf of the police force for letting him experience such tragedy. But before he released Law, he said, "A few victims told us you were terrifying. Any comments to that?"

Law raised a brow at the question. "What do you want me to say?"

The officer narrowed his eyes on Law. He contemplated whether it was even worth mentioning as he understood the man only acted accordingly during a dire situation. Deciding it didn't even matter as they already resolved the encounter, he dismissed the issue and offered another, somehow related, question.

"You..practically took care of four armed men. Did you perhaps have experience in combat?"

Law didn't miss the man's suspicious gaze, quickly reverting back to indifference as soon as he noticed. He felt like taunting the man but he spied Elka from the corner of his eye talking to an officer with that miserable look on her face and somehow, it made him think otherwise.

"No." he decisively exhaled. "My instincts just kicked in. You are aware of the fight-or-flight response all humans are capable of activating in times of need, correct?"

The officer hummed, lightly nodding his head in agreement. "That's true."

Later, more ambulance arrived at the scene to carry the remaining victims sustaining injuries, including both Law and Elka. Despite Law suffering no physical injuries, he was taken to the hospital along with Elka as both were practically covered in blood. Also, given the statements the police gathered from victims, they understood Elka and Law needed the check-up most as the former having been taken as hostage and was forced to watch the latter fighting for her safety. Health care was the maintenance and improvement of, not only physical, but also mental health.

Elka was given a blanket to cover herself. The back of her shirt was soaked with blood and she had to endure its stench until they reach the hospital. She also sustained bruises on her arm and a large mark around her neck, making the medical aides who've seen it suspect she was strangled. They couldn't begin to imagine the trauma it might have brought her.

Law was sitting beside Elka. He remained quiet, he didn't have anything to say anyway. He stole a glance at Elka who remained equally quiet, studying her face. Elka held a blank face, her dark eyes glazed seemingly staring into space. Her breathing was slow and shallow, and Law wondered what was going through her mind. She was very expressive, and surprisingly, the lack of expression on her face troubled him somewhat.

Elka was silent throughout the ride. Law decided to give her space, shifting his attention to the medical aides who treated the other patients riding with them. Not later, Law was handed a damp towel to wipe the blood off his face. He frowned at the offer.

"Don't you think _she_ needs this more than I do?"

The medical aide gave him a brief apology before calling at Elka. She didn't respond, so she gently touched her hand and squeezed it, a gesture to let her know she was not alone and to help ease her up.

Elka seemed to have acknowledged her presence by focusing her eyes on her.

"If you'd like, let me help you clean the blood off." the medical aide said, holding up the damp towel in her hand.

Elka faintly nodded her head without saying anything. The medical aide proceeded to rub off the blood on the girl's face, her neck and to her arms. She couldn't exactly remove the ones on her shirt so after that, she tried to talk to Elka and comfort her, which didn't seem to be very effective as Elka remained unresponsive.

=/=

By the time they arrived at the hospital, the light drizzle had become a heavy downpour. After the general check-up, Elka was given an ice pack for her bruises. The two were then free to go as they didn't exactly have serious injuries but without an umbrella, they were pretty much stuck.

Elka walked the hallways of the hospital following the 'exit' signs. Once she reached outside though, seeing how it was practically raining cats and dogs, she stood on a corner and gazed blankly at the open space. Law followed her, of course, and seeing her act like she was soulless irked him.

"Are you going to mope all day?" he asked, half-chastened, half-exasperated.

Elka kept quiet. She didn't even look at the Warlord and this did not sit well with him.

"I get that you're traumatized somewhat so you should speak. Tell me about it."

"I guess you wouldn't understand." Elka finally spoke, her voice brittle.

"You'll have to explain further if you want me to understand." Law flatly replied.

Elka spared a glance at the Warlord and found his unapologetic eyes fixed right on hers. She immediately swiveled her gaze away from the man. "I don't want you to understand. You don't _have_ to anyway."

"That's true." Law paused. He didn't have to concern himself with Elka, he didn't have to get involved too much in her world, after all, he wasn't going to stay for long. "But I'm here right now and I have to know what's going on. What is it in this world of yours that you have such absurd ideals?"

"Which ideal are you even referring to?" Elka deadpanned.

"You didn't want bloodshed." Law stated. "Or is it you're such a righteous person?"

"We have a law." Elka quickly replied. "We have authorities doing their job in eliminating criminals. If it's unnecessary, bloodshed must be avoided."

"May I remind you, those criminals actually killed two people before your turn."

"But you didn't have to kill them."

Law rolled his eyes. "And let them kill you?"

"You could have just restrained them!"

"And give them another chance to attack you?"

"Look, doctor, the police could have solved the problem somehow." Elka insisted. "You didn't have to aggravate the situation."

"I believe I actually _alleviated_ the situation." Law argued.

"You provoked them!" Elka's voice rose. She sharply exhaled before adding, "You even looked like you were entertained! You're even worse than those criminals!"

Law's brow twitched at her accusation. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her closer to him, her dark eyes forcefully meeting his grey ones. "I _am_ a criminal."

Elka could only clench her teeth as she couldn't deny that. He was a pirate - a captain at that, and was fairly notorious for his cruelty. Heck, he was a Warlord by then, and she recalled what he did to become one - imagining it in real life prickled the hairs all over her body.

"I am of the _worst_ generation, or did you forget? It's clear I am stronger and it's none of my concern if they couldn't tell the difference in strength." Law continued, his tone deadly quiet. "If you didn't want bloodshed, you should have asked me to help from the very beginning."

"And what? Let you murder them?"

"So you care about those lowlifes, what about those women who were actually killed? Wasn't that murder as well?"

Elka averted her eyes from the man after hearing his statement. She was ashamed - ashamed that she actually never noticed how two civilians were already killed by then; ashamed for suddenly thinking, if she asked Law for help right there and then, they could have avoided the deaths of the innocents; ashamed that she was too optimistic, blindly believing everything was going to be okay just like that.

"But..." Elka was fighting against herself. She wanted to stay morally and ethically right. She never expected that the whole concept was so confusing when she was suddenly placed in that situation without any warning. It was driving her insane. She wanted to avoid bloodshed, she wanted to avoid _trouble_ as much as possible but during that scenario, who would have known what was the best option.

And besides, there was another reason for her hesitation.

"I don't understand why you would save those people. They threatened your life."

"It's not that I wanted to save them, I just wanted to stick to what is right!" Elka argued. "The police were there! They are the ones who have the power and right to judge them!"

"And what about your self-defense bullshit?!" Law was losing his temper. Elka was too stubborn, and _fucking_ naive. "There's no absolute right and wrong. If the situation calls for it, you'll have to dirty your own hands."

"I was scared!" Elka confessed, almost sobbing. "I was confused! I was shocked! I didn't know what to do! I never experienced that and never did I hope to! I was just scared!"

"If you were so scared you should have asked me to protect you. I was right there." Law reasoned, regaining his composure. He was pleased Elka was openly expressing herself at long last.

"But I don't want to be saved by you! I don't want you to protect me!" Elka was gritting her teeth. She wanted to tone her voice down but she couldn't contain her emotions anymore. She was already exploding.

Law frowned. He thought that was the most idiotic reasoning he ever heard. "Why?"

"I _can't_ rely on you! Don't you get it?! You're not even supposed to _be_ here!" Elka paused for a moment, trying to calm herself down and stop the tears from falling, looking down to avoid Law's gaze.

Law got the gist of it, nonetheless, he waited.

"Just please listen to me from now on. Please." Elka weakly stated. She decided it wasn't even worth explaining to the Warlord. He was smart, she expected him to get it soon enough.

"I don't like getting ordered around."

Elka didn't respond.

Law sighed. "Just don't expect me to stand idly by when your life is in danger. You're my only lead to getting back to my world and I'm not too eager to lose you."

"I know." Elka was quick to reply but she refused to look at Law.

"I _will_ protect you, Elka- _ya_."

Elka flinched upon hearing Law's declaration. Regardless, it only made her feel worse. She quietly pulled away from the Warlord and squatted down at a corner. "That sounds like an omen, doctor." she muttered to herself.

=/=

It was already dark out but the rain showed no signs of letting up. Elka remembered she still had her cell and checked the time.

It was already past seven in the evening.

She never realized how long they've been stuck in there. Even with their silence, the noise of the heavy rain was enough to drown them. They've seen countless patients come and go, some looking tragic while others probably just for a general check-up.

Shortly, Elka attempted to stand up. It's been more than an hour since she sat on her haunches that she couldn't feel them anymore. She leaned back against the wall to support her weight as she forced herself to get up but before she knew it, someone had pulled her up.

Shocked, Elka raised her head and found Law to be the one helping her up. He held his usual calm and looked indifferently at her, but the warmth from his touch relieved Elka's senses.

"I..." Elka hesitated but decided to say it anyway. "I want to go home."

Law nodded. "And what do you propose we do?"

"Run for it." her tone was firm.

Law smirked. "You're that desperate?"

"I just want to go home."

Law removed his hat and placed it over Elka's head. "Make sure you run fast."

The two darted across the streets, taking shelter every now and then until they reached the bus stop. They were fairly wet by the time they got there so Law decided to remove his jacket and give it to Elka. At first, the woman refused, insisting he keep hiding his tattoos, but when the Warlord pointed at her chest, she yielded.

Fortunately, their ride went smoothly until they found themselves standing right in front of Maris Dormitory. Elka proceeded to make herself known to the security guard and asked for permission to let Law inside as he will be staying in her room for a while. Obviously, the guard refused but after Elka explained he was her cousin, the guard opted to call for the owner and get her opinion about it.

After a while on the phone, the guard strangely looked at Elka and Law respectively, seemingly inspecting their every inch, from head to toe. She then inquired, "You got involved in a raid?"

Elka jolted in surprise. She didn't expect the news to come that fast, although it shouldn't be surprising considering the evening news starts at seven. She figured it was probably around eight already.

"The mistress wants to talk to you, Miss Elka." the guard stated, handing over the phone.

"Elka! I saw the news! I heard your cousin is still with you!" the mistress's voice was fairly loud, but despite this her tone suggested her worry.

"Yes. I know men are not allowed in here but, can you at least make this an exception?" Elka replied, glancing at Law who remained rooted in place.

"Yes, yes of course. I'm sorry for what happened, I hope you're okay now. I know you're going to need company and it's good you and your cousin are safe and unhurt. I saw from the news that your cousin fought back to save you."

Elka was going to answer back when suddenly, Ross's voice came from the other end of the line, interrupting her.

"The police said he actually killed the robber. Man, your cousin have skills." his tone was moderate but it failed to hide his excitement.

"Don't you be glad about that, Ross! Be sensitive!" mistress Glenn's voice interjected.

"Yes, yes, sorry ma! Also, sorry Elka." Ross sounded glum, making Elka lightly giggle.

"It's okay. I'm just glad mistress is okay with my cousin staying in my room for a while."

"He's staying?" Ross seemed to be glad. "Um, Elka? If it's not too much to ask, can I meet your cousin?"

Elka was surprised by this.

"Ross!" mistress Glenn's voice thundered in the background. "Ross, stop pestering Elka! Give me the phone!"

"Is Elka home now?" Elka recognized Lady Shiva's voice.

"That's right, sis. And his cousin's still with her." Ross answered.

"...Right." Shiva's tone sounded repressed.

Elka didn't know if it was okay to hang up by then until she heard the mistress telling her to go take a rest and finally hung up.

"I understand you'll be staying for a while, sir, so please write your name here and Miss Elka's room beside it." the guard presented a list to Law and guided him accordingly. He quietly obeyed and wrote down his name, and he asked Elka for her room number and wrote it down next.

=/=

As soon as the duo reached Elka's room, Law did not miss that huge sigh of relief Elka released. She took out her keys from her blue bag's back pocket and opened the door. Quickly, Elka switched the lights on and closed the door behind them. She then excused herself to the bathroom to shower.

Law began to undress when Elka stepped inside the bath. His clothes were wet and he knew it'd be bad for him to let them dry on him. He then picked up a random shirt that was lying in a pile Elka left atop her bed from that morning and wore it. Astonishingly, it seemed the woman was thoughtful enough to have 'borrowed' trousers along with a few underpants. Still, the surgeon was fairly hygienic and was uncomfortable at the thought of wearing someone else's _boxers_.

Not later, Elka finally came out of the shower. Her hair was wrapped in a blue towel while her body was wrapped in a white one. "...You can use the shower, doctor."

Law only looked at her.

"...I'll buy an extra soap for you so wait a bit." she walked over to her closet and opened it, searching for anything to wear.

"I didn't expect you to get out of the bath like this." Law spoke in monotone.

"You don't have to look." Elka deadpanned, taking out a dark blue one piece dress.

Law spoke in a low, baritone voice. "Then I take it you trust me to such extent?"

Elka looked at him and smiled a little, "We're both doctors. I'm sure a little display of human anatomy can't bother you."

Law smirked. The woman was tough, but was seriously, for the nth time, and to reiterate, _seriously naive_. He didn't bother to instigate further as she did seem to be only forcing herself to look fine and calm.

"Anyway, I borrowed trousers from Ross as well. They probably won't cover your legs down to your ankles since you're taller than him but I hope you wouldn't mind." Elka stated as she went back to the bathroom to change. Seconds later, she came out wearing the dress and added, "And for the record, those boxers are brand new. Ross haven't used them yet. Don't ask why."

Law was surprised at Elka's revelation. He looked at the said underpants once more, just noticing the tags that weren't even taken off yet but they were already blurred and looked worn-out.

"Are you sure?" he inquired, genuinely curious.

Elka looked amused by this. "To think Trafalgar Law is actually a clean freak."

Law shot her a menacing glare. "As a normal person, I prefer my things clean."

Elka's eyes softened. "Don't worry, Ross is just a sloth. Lady Shiva told me he threw in his boxers on the washing machine without taking off the price tags. In the end, he still didn't use them because the colors suddenly faded since he didn't know the batch on the machine was soaked in chlorine." Elka giggled at the memory.

Law barely understood Elka, only picking up that they can wash clothes in a machine. Hearing the existence of chlorine made everything clear for him. "So that's why they looked splashed with white paint." Law said in comprehension.

Elka quickly halted upon realizing she actually revealed the reason as to why they were left unused. She averted her gaze, her ears turning red in embarrassment. "Uh, f-forget that, uh, thing... Just, um, go in the bath already." she stuttered.

As Law was about to get up, three light knocks on the door took their attention. "Elka? It's Ross."

Elka sighed. She gestured at Law to just get inside the bath and let her handle the guy to which the Warlord declined, insisting he wanted to at least see the boy's face for reference purposes. Elka didn't bother to retort back and proceeded to open the door, greeting the redhead.

"Good evening, Ross."

"Why are you being so formal?" Ross had a fine, smooth voice. He stared at Elka curiously. "I get it. Bad time, huh?"

Ross was a tall young man standing at a height of approximately 180cm. He sported a short red haircut, he had pale skin, a pair of blue eyes and a rather childish freckles over his nose and cheeks. He wore a plain dark blue sweater and plain blue jeans together with blue socks and slippers.

"My cousin's about to go in the bath." Elka told Ross, almost implying to just leave. "Where's your cap? Aren't you cold?" she added.

"Yeah, I am cold." Ross scratched the back of his head. "Can I come in?"

Elka frowned. "I'm going out shortly to buy soap."

"I have an extra." Ross was quick to reply as if he didn't even think about it. "Right. Don't go out. The rain's really heavy."

"You have an extra?" Elka was confused. Was the redhead implying he'd give her an extra?

"Yeah." Ross's eyes seemed to light up in recollection. "Right, it's in the cupboard. I'll go get it."

"Wait!" Elka grabbed Ross by the hem of his sweatshirt. "What do you mean you'll get it? I mean, why would you even give me your extra?"

Ross tilted his head in wonder. "...Because you need one?"

"No, I mean-" Elka halted. She figured it was no use arguing with the guy, he probably meant no harm anyway. She then released the boy and watched his back shrink until he was gone from her sight.

"Elka- _ya_? Did something happen?" Law inquired when he saw her looking troubled.

Elka only huffed and shook her head, but she remained standing by the door waiting for the redhead to return.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** Yes, I know this took a while and sorry about that. No, it wasn't writer's block, real life happened so I wasn't able to write. These past two weeks we were given a pile of work: research protocol, case reports and, you guessed it, major exams of 35 items each, most covering four to five fucking chapters. I needed to pass - I have to. Please understand, folks. Medicine - this course will always make certain you fail each semester and I'm not one to allow that shit happening to me. Anyway, enough rambling. Please enjoy this chapter, I made it extra long to make up for the lost time, oh and, this chapter might seem boring but I needed to straighten out a few points so my story could progress the way I want it to be. Thank you._

 ** _P.S. Don't hate on Ross, haha._**

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Sixth Sign**_

"Here you go. I actually have more so it's no problem." Ross returned with a pink small box labeled 'saveguard'. He handed it over and asked, "Can I come in now?"

"Can't it wait for tomorrow?" Elka refrained from taking the offered item yet. She didn't feel comfortable with Ross's bearing at the moment.

Ross sighed. "...Okay, but at least accept this. I just don't want you to go out in the rain for such a small thing, you know."

Elka reluctantly accepted the soap but the redhead didn't leave yet after that. He just stood there and stared at Elka. This bothered the woman so she asked, "What is it?"

"I'm glad you're okay." Ross's voice sounded so sweet it made her blush a little.

Elka gave him a small smile but the young lad did not miss how her eyes looked mournful. "...Yeah, I'm lucky to keep my life."

"I'm thankful to your cousin, but that was dangerous." Ross added. It seemed he disliked seeing Elka in such state. He refused to let her grieve so the lad thought about various topics to somehow make the gal feel better. "Anyway, I heard there's going to be a new figure release from XX Manufacturer next week. It's Sanji this time, right?"

"Yeah, I got the news." Elka replied, smirking at the thought. "I'm planning to get him but it will still depend on the price. I'm glad he's getting more figures."

"I'm still waiting for new admiral figures, although I guess it won't hurt to get Sanji since I did get Zoro before."

"Yeah?" Elka looked a little brighter by then. "I'm still waiting for other worst generation characters, though. Capone and Hawkins should be good."

Ross smiled. "All right, I'll come back tomorrow to meet your cousin. Also, Elka?" he looked at her fondly before continuing, "It's over now. You're home."

Elka looked like she was about to cry when she heard the redhead. For the short three months since they met, Ross had been nice to Elka although there were times when she found him acting too strange, but he never harmed her. She appreciated his worry over her and thanked him graciously afterwards. Soon, the boy left and Elka went back inside her room, letting out the tears which welled up under her lids.

"What happened?" Law asked upon seeing the girl. He heard them and frankly, he didn't understand their conversation.

"Nothing." Elka replied whilst wiping the tears off her cheeks. She then showed Law the soap Ross got for her and urged the man to get into the bath so he could clean off the blood that stuck to his body. She remarked how she hated its stench, making the Warlord relent and ultimately enter the bath.

Elka provided Law a separate towel. She also fixed her bed, placing a boundary of pillows in the middle of the mattress. She did have a sizable bed considering she was living alone in that room, and she thought she had to show him thanks and appreciation for saving and protecting her that evening, although it made her feel frustrated.

As Elka waited for Law to finish, she thought about how she could help the man return to his rightful world. She figured it'd be bad both for Law and herself to let him stay for long, ultimately because she was unsure how One Piece world's time works as an existing parallel dimension. She needed to weigh the gravity of the situation - a day on Earth might mean a year on One Piece, or the other way around, which would probably work in favor for Law who suddenly got tossed in her dimension. Elka just hoped the time difference wouldn't be far off.

Elka tried to remember anything that may be related to Law's appearance in her world. She already assumed it was somehow related to her PVC figure, but it wasn't enough. The figure was missing and Law himself replaced it, what could that mean? Elka then thought the portal might be in that box that was left of it, so she searched for it and upon finding it, decided to offer it to the Warlord first thing when he came out of the shower. Still, she needed a 'plan B' if that didn't work, and she figured visiting the toy stores tomorrow would be a good idea. After all, it was a weekend, and boy was she ever thankful for those strange, shitty occurrences to happen by the start of a long weekend. Otherwise, she was sure to experience hell both at home and at school.

But Elka remembered, she had an upcoming exams next week. Elka silently lamented those wasted time. She could have been studying all day that day but Law decided to visit her and deliver her bad luck. Sweet, right?

When Law came out of the bath, he found the raven-haired woman sitting on the floor by the bathroom's entrance cradling a huge box that was painted with his images. She looked so serious, her brows furrowed a little deeper than the first time he saw her frown.

"Elka- _ya_ , what are you doing?"

Elka looked up upon hearing Law address her. She stared at him for a moment before suddenly shooting up and thrusting the box on her hands against his bare chest. She looked at him, her eyes filled with determination.

"Doctor, try holding this!" she exclaimed, nudging the Warlord to do as he was told.

Law held the box and waited, but Elka said no more. "I don't get it, what are you trying to accomplish?"

"Look at it! Inspect it!" Elka enthusiastically demanded as if not hearing the Warlord's question. She was even pointing a finger at the object. "Feel it! Sense it! _Be one with it_!"

Law frowned. "Are you trying to be funny? Because you're miserably failing at it."

"No! I'm being serious!" Elka quickly replied, stomping a foot in restraint.

Law noted how the girl dropped her 'please' from her sentences, regardless, seeing Elka so excited and curious made him want to see for himself what she was expecting to take place. Although reluctant, he went ahead and opened the box to look inside. Seeing nothing, he proceeded to shake it a bit and inspect its wholeness.

Elka held her breath in anticipation as she watched Law examining the box. She imagined how the Warlord would suddenly vanish from her sight and transform back into her most prized figurine. Her body was gradually leaning forward in preparation to catch said figurine if it ever materialized in thin air. She wouldn't want it broken, given the fact that most of her collections were reduced to pieces courtesy of her favorite character.

Minutes have passed and nothing was happening. Law was getting tired of it so he returned the box back to Elka.

"What was it that you wanted to happen?" Law inquired, his face frowning in realization that he failed to ask that question first thing before indulging Elka's demand.

Scratch that, he did ask earlier but the woman had the audacity to ignore him.

"I was hoping that box was the actual portal or connection to your world." Elka stated. She then went to put away the box and leapt to her bed. "Man, I really thought that box would solve it."

"What made you think so?" Law began to dry his hair with the pink towel Elka lent him. He already wore a black underpants and a pair of black trousers he picked among the clothes scattered over her bed.

"Remember what I told you this morning?" Elka watched the Warlord picking up a grey t-shirt and inspecting it. "I think you replaced my figurine. So I thought, its box would be the closest thing to serve as a portal."

"I see." Law was satisfied with the shirt he picked and wore it on. "I'm glad you're cooperating well."

"I'm still disappointed nothing happened with that box." Elka's gaze remained on Law to which the man returned when he caught her eyes glued on him.

"But it's a good hypothesis." Law smiled. "It may very well be the portal back to my world, but we might have done something incorrectly resulting to its inactivation."

"Any idea how to trigger it? I mean, do you know a way to open whatever that portal is?"

"I wouldn't be here now if I did." Law sighed. "But it's a good start. Take good care of that box and we might be able to activate it soon."

"Is there a possibility it's not the portal though?"

"Of course." Law pulled the chair that was placed in front of Elka's computer and went around the bed to sit closer to her bedside, making it so that he was facing the woman as they continued their conversation. "But the fact that I appeared inside your room means it is here. We just have to keep looking, and trying."

"You make it sound so, well, laborious." Elka fretted. She wasn't prepared to house Law for days.

Law let out a short chuckle. "Your room's pretty small. We'll probably find it by tomorrow." he sounded confident, but he did have little doubt in his mind. Law hypothesized a few things that may be connected to his world. One of them was the box she offered, given that it was the casing for said figurine of himself. Another was probably her _Manga_ collection. There was also the possibility of those postcards of some sort to be the portal, or the bookshelf itself that housed her prized items.

And then there was Elka herself.

Still, Law found himself in a dead end. He didn't know how to to utilize said objects to make them take him back to his own dimension.

"I hope so." Elka's voice broke Law's thoughts. "I just think it won't be that easy since we're both clueless about this. It's just so strange how such a thing is happening right now." Elka rolled over her back and was now staring at the ceiling. She was feeling weary, and all those thinking stopped making her anxious and instead, was lulling her to sleep. "I really want to get this over with as soon as possible."

"I feel the same way." Law breathed. He stood up and asked, "May I borrow your blanket?"

"Yeah." Elka wasn't really paying attention, but she welcomed the Warlord's sudden politeness. But when she saw him taking the blanket with him to the door, she got up in slight confusion. "Hold on! Where are you taking that?"

Law only looked at her over his shoulder. "I was going to rest here." he leaned against the wall and gestured he was going to sit on the floor and sleep that way.

"But that's the door!" Elka exclaimed, swinging a hand towards it.

Law gave her a pointed look. "I know. That's why I'm sleeping over here."

"Um, doctor, I get that you don't like the idea of sharing a bed but my bed's really big and you can occupy the other side of it." Elka explained, her tone somewhat chastened.

"I'm a light sleeper." Law replied in a matter-of-factly way. He even sounded like he was done with their conversation.

"Not surprising, but I won't settle down if you don't sleep in my bed." Elka reasoned.

Law narrowed his eyes on Elka. "Why do you insist? Wouldn't you benefit if I guard you in your sleep?"

Elka's eyes widened in surprise. The Warlord always had unusual motives for every little action he takes. "Well, I appreciate it but I think it'd be better if you don't. I don't want to wake up to seeing a dead body by the entrance."

"Then I won't kill them." Law decisively said, finally sitting down on the floor. "And besides, I could always dispose of the body."

"All the more reason to get you to sleep in my bed instead." Elka wearily sighed. Law was difficult to handle and Elka felt like she was ready to raise her white flag any second now. In fact, since they met, she'd been all ready to surrender, but man was she stubborn. The world should really thank her for loving it enough that she was willing to push her limits for the sake of peace and quiet. The thought tugged her lips into a smirk.

Law remained quiet and decided to just watch the woman. He knew where Elka was coming from but that didn't mean he would readily accept her examples. Sharing beds was never the issue. He was only concerned with her safety; he was the one needing to tell her 'I don't want to wake up to seeing you dead or gone'.

Elka suddenly hopped off her bed and approached Law. With both hands on her hips, she looked at him and said, "For now, get up and follow me, doctor."

"You're going out?" Law asked. He was surprised but he managed to mask it with indifference.

"Yeah. Not exactly out in the rain though." Elka glanced at the wall clock hanging by her computer and announced, "We'll go to the kitchen."

=/=

Quarter to nine and the duo found themselves traversing the corridors of Maris dormitory. Elka greeted a few dormmates they met, some of them inquiring about Law's presence while others giving out concern asking confirmation about the news they saw on TV. Elka did her best to make every chats as brief as she could, mostly ending them with an excuse to getting dinner. She knew almost everyone in their floor and she was thankful they were all friendly but Elka preferred to keep her circle of friends small so she only see them as acquaintances.

The Warlord stood out so much given his actual height, and since his shirt's sleeve is short, the tattoos on his arms called out more attention. More often than not, Elka was called out by her mates just to ask about Law. They would grab her arm and pull her over, whispering to her ears questions not meant for the man to hear. Elka would only force a smile and give them one word answers, mostly just saying 'yes' or 'no' without further elaboration. Law didn't mind every stop but eventually, he felt like they were being stalled too much and he had quite enough.

"Elka- _ya_ , ignore them." Law announced, not stopping on his tracks when the next girl grabbed Elka.

Elka understood what Law meant and quickly excused herself. She caught up to him and assured him that they were almost there. Elka avoided all sorts of conversations since then, only apologizing to the rest of the girls interested about her 'cousin'.

The dormitory's common kitchen was big, cool and well-lit as well as the dining room connected to it by an open arch. Said room can accommodate at least six people at a time. There was a snack seated at the island in welcoming gourmet kitchen and most utensils and kitchen appliances were available for use. There was also two refrigerators with which the residents could fill with their groceries. A window was placed by the sink, a medium round mirror hung by the wall in line of the wooden dining table and the wooden chairs looked cozy with pillows over their seats. The walls were painted white, similar to the walls of the hallways and the floating wood tile complemented the dining set. There was also a huge maroon carpet embroidered with flowers of dark colors underneath the dining table.

Elka stepped in and opened a closet, taking out a pink apron and wore it. "Doctor, take a seat. I'm going to cook dinner."

Law didn't move from his place and watched Elka do her thing. With a cup on hand, she opened a cabinet under the sink and scooped one cup of rice, pouring it over an iron bowl and rinsing it in water. Soon she placed it on a rice cooker and put a lid on it, leaving it alone while she placed a frying pan over the electric stove.

"So you do have rice in this place." Law stated, seemingly satisfied with this realization.

Elka huffed. "Of course. When did I say we don't have rice?" she took out a chopping board and began chopping onions and garlic.

"You said bread _is_ your staple food." Law was now standing behind Elka. He watched her slice the said spices into small pieces and was amused to see the woman handle a knife.

"Yeah, but rice is our traditional food. Aisa's known for it." Elka poured a teaspoon of soy sauce, rice vinegar and olive oil over the heated pan and sauteed the onions and garlic she chopped. "I actually only said that earlier to tease you, or something like that."

"You like bread, that much I understand." Law was curious but didn't bother to stretch the issue. "But that doesn't warrant you to force it on me."

"I know. I'm sorry." Elka took out the defrosted chicken meat from the fridge and chopped them into smaller pieces, finally putting them over the pan and mixing it with the sauteed vegetables. She then sprinkled salt over it and covered it with a tempered glass lid to braise.

When Elka turned around, she found Law intently staring at her and this surprised her. She almost jumped back when she found him standing so close to her. All those times she was replying to the Warlord without looking back at him, she thought he was seated by the island.

"You look so surprised." Law wondered aloud.

"I..didn't expect you to, well..." Elka felt embarrassed just thinking about what she was about to say so she stopped herself and turned away from the man. "Anyway, take a seat. Five minutes and they're probably done."

Law wordlessly obliged but he didn't go to the dining room and instead, took a seat at the island, his eyes remaining on Elka.

Elka felt jittery when it finally dawned on her that the Warlord was actually watching her. It took a lot of courage for her to bluntly ask, "You..didn't just stare at me this whole time, right?"

Law smiled. "This is the second time you asked me that." placing his elbow over the counter, he rested his cheek over his palm and looked at her softly. "I like observing people. I thought it was obvious."

Elka suddenly blushed. It was clear Law was referring to people in general and not her particularly but it still struck a nerve. As a fan, she admired him although she always knew he didn't exist but now that he was alive and real, she just couldn't help but feel happy about it, regardless of the horrible events that had taken place since.

"Your face is red. Are you okay?" Law's smile was now gone and replaced with a frown. He looked and sounded genuinely worried it made Elka's heart flutter.

"I'm okay." she weakly replied, twirling around so she could focus on her cooking instead. It was true she'd been crushing over Law for quite a while since his character introduction, but he was fiction and she knew it was just infatuation and fascination. But now that the real thing was with her, and she was even cooking for him, she just thought it was sorely neat.

 _Sorely_.

Trafalgar Law was fiction. She'd been stressing this out mentally to keep her logic intact. He was going to leave Earth any time soon. Elka was all for it because she strongly believed it was wrong for him to stay in her world but the way they spend peaceful times together, although it has only been a day, moved her. She almost wished Law was someone different, someone who actually exists in her world - she wished Trafalgar Law was _not_ Trafalgar Law. It was contradictory, but she didn't know how to properly put it into words.

Soon, Elka served the food she cooked. She put away the apron she wore and laid out the plates, spoon and fork on the table before sitting across Law. Initially, the two ate solemnly until Law suddenly raised an unexpected question.

"Given the chance, would you come with me?"

Elka immediately stopped eating and gaped at the man. "Pardon?"

"You said you liked my world so I was wondering if you would like to go in there." Law sounded disinterested but him asking the question meant otherwise.

"Of course I would love to visit the world of One Piece." Elka stated sternly. "Believe me, I would really want to go in there and possibly stay there for the rest of my life but that's just me trying to escape my reality."

"You sound devastated." Law was curious. He could come up with a number of reasons why Elka would say such a thing but he wanted to hear it from the person herself.

Elka forced a smile. "Well, for one, I can't possibly live long enough in there. I mean, pirates and bandits everywhere? I can't even fight. I'll probably become some random helpless extra with no impact to the story or even an identifying quality."

Law nodded. He didn't speak yet and waited.

"And, I'll probably lose interest... If I ever get to your world, I would like to explore it. I'll probably try to become a pirate but I'm certain the marines would catch me first before I even get a decent crew."

Law lightly hummed, lifting up his glass of water to have a drink.

"And besides, I..definitely won't belong there. Given the fact I know a lot about it and that I practically know what happened until now would make it boring. I could hope to change it somehow but we'd be back to reason number one." Elka sighed. "Also, I do like this world of mine a bit. I guess I'm contented with my life right now."

Law studied Elka for a moment. "Are you even aware you're practically telling me you deserve to be part of my crew?"

Elka turned her head and looked at Law wide-eyed. "Pardon?"

Law snorted. "I'm sure you heard me."

"I never said I wanted to join your crew. And besides, what use would you have me?"

"Your knowledge." Law smirked. He finished his food while Elka was delivering his monologue so he set his plate aside and placed both elbows over the counter. "You mentioned you know a lot about my world and I could use the information you hold to my advantage."

"Wouldn't that spoil the fun for you?" Elka sounded a bit disappointed with Law.

"I won't ask for what happens in the future. What I need are vital pieces of information, facts of my world that I'm unaware of." Law brought his hands together in a manner as if he was concocting a preposterous but entertaining plan. "For example, everything you know about the marines. Or better yet, the World Government."

Elka's expression turned into understanding and awe. Given their situation, the Warlord would most likely believe her if she said anything about the World Government and its secret organization, CP-9, implying that there may be more of this 'Cipher Pol' identities given by the number attached to the name. Although she was unsure how it would play out, the thought thrilled her.

But Elka told herself she couldn't go with Law when it came to that. "You see, I have a life here and I'm quite satisfied just reading the series progress. Don't get me wrong, I would love to join your crew but I don't want to abandon my identity."

Law's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. He understood the woman had high regards for herself and he admired that. Not all had enough faith on their selves and posses the guts to refuse an invitation by the Surgeon of Death himself.

"I'm impressed. Now I really want you on my crew."

Elka's cheeks flushed. "I... I'm flattered, really, but I just think it's wrong to be in your world. It's..the same thing as how you're stuck here in my world."

"About your identity, I'm sure you can keep it. That personality of yours is already your defining quality." Law spoke in a rich, low voice in an attempt to coaxing the woman into agreeing with him.

"You got it all wrong, doctor. I'm still studying to become a doctor, and it's my dream to be a good, and the best doctor, if not in the whole world, at least in our country."

"I think you're forgetting I _am_ a doctor." Law's grey eyes glinted in delight. "I can teach you what I know. You can be my assistant as well."

"But I plan to serve my country, and I want to stay close to my loved ones." Elka spoke as if she was telling it to herself. "I would love to join your crew, become a pirate and explore your world but that's just a fantasy. This is my reality, doctor, and as much as I would love to escape this, I feel obligated to stay and live it as it is."

"So you mean you're chained to this feeling of obligation of yours?"

"It's not like I'm being forced. I wanted this. I chose this. My life. Myself. My whole sense of self is here." Elka cracked a smiled and added, "I'm sure you feel the same, that's why you're so eager to go back to your world, right?"

Law stared at Elka in awe, the woman was tougher than he thought. She had strong values and solid beliefs, no wonder she was so stubborn and naive. And he could relate to what she was saying, convincing him it was enough baiting her.

Elka resumed eating when Law didn't say anything more. When she was done, she washed the dishes like usual and ultimately, the two went back to Elka's room.

=/=

Elka fell fast asleep as soon as Law yielded to her request and laid down beside her in the condition he took the side closer to the door. Elka was so beat that the moment she closed her eyes, she quickly drifted into slumber. Not surprising since their argument went on for a good hour considering how Law hated getting ordered around and how the idea was conflicting with his initial plans.

The night was still young when Law decided to get up. He couldn't sleep because of that one issue weighing on his mind: _Elka is unaffected by his devil fruit power._ Now after all those times they shared, he was feeling a bit reluctant to actually harm the girl. Still, he wanted to confirm it again just in case.

 _Room._

Law approached the closet and pulled out his sword that was sitting between it and the bookshelf. He unsheathed it and looked at Elka. Seeing her peaceful face made him drop the idea of imbuing his sword with _haki_. He pointed his sword over Elka's body until he finally swung it into thin air, slashing her blanket into two but her body remaining intact.

 _She's still unaffected._

Law speculated that the ineffectual of his devil fruit powers over her might actually be a clue on how to return to his world. Elka was the only one, implying she herself might be the portal to his world, or if not the actual portal, obviously his only key.

After sheathing his sword, he placed a hand over her chest. At first, he just assessed the rise and fall of her chest during regular inspiration and expiration. Law was hesitant, and it was a first for him. Nonetheless, he decided it was for the best, so he raised his hand to the level of his chest and stroke down to Elka's chest with his open palm.

" _Mes._ "

Nothing happened, but what baffled him was that Elka did not respond to the strike and he felt a repelling force under his palm. This prompted the man to check his hand but nothing seemed to have changed. He placed the same hand over Elka's chest once more, and confirmed he was able to touch the girl, yet when he used his ability, he couldn't even reach her. This kept gnawing at him, making him feel anxious and frustrated.

And he wondered. Was Elka somehow possessing a strange ability herself?

Law just stood there and stared at Elka's sleeping face. He tried to think of something but he was drawing a blank. Deeming it pointless to keep mulling over it, Law decided to just leave it for the time being and rested.

=/=

Trafalgar Law woke up when a small light began to stream from the window. He glanced beside him and found Elka sound asleep still. Relieved, he got up and decided to inspect her whole room again but Elka's eyes fluttered open when the mattress moved. Their eyes met, and after a brief silence, Elka also got up.

"You're up early, doctor." she remarked.

"So you're also a light sleeper?"

"Yeah, kind of." Elka hopped off the bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face. "Actually, it depends. If I'm too tired, even the blaring sound of an alarm clock wouldn't wake me." she said as she wiped her face with a soft towel.

"Figures." Law mumbled to himself. Since Elka didn't wake up when he tried to use his ability on her last night, he knew she was exhausted to breaking point. Now that she got enough sleep though, she'd pretty much wake at the slightest movement.

"Uh, doctor? I have another idea to help you get back." Elka announced as she made the bed.

"Let's hear it."

"This afternoon, let's go to GreemBills Shopping Center. That's where I buy my toys and they might help you out. Although, I'm not sure how."

Law looked as if he was having second thoughts about it but nodded in agreement anyway.

Not later, the two were walking through the hallways once more. Their destination, the kitchen for breakfast. Their walk went smooth without all the girls to stall them but when they got to the kitchen, they were surprised to see a certain redhead standing in front of the stove.

"Oh, Elka, good morning." Ross greeted as soon as he heard her gasp. He didn't even bother to check if it was truly her, his eyes fixated on the pot he was heating.

"Ross, you're earlier than usual." Elka replied, gesturing at Law to take a seat, to which he reluctantly obeyed before Elka approached the young lad. "Anyway, what are you cooking?"

Ross spared Elka a glance once she was beside him. "I'm boiling pork ribs. This takes a while so I went ahead and started it."

"Oh, pork ribs huh? What did mistress Glenn say?"

"Don't worry about ma, she wouldn't mind." Ross returned his focus back on the boiling pot. "She did tell me to help you out when I can."

"Thank you, Ross. Please extend my thanks to the mistress later too." Elka went towards the water dispenser and switched on its 'hot' function. She then took out three mugs from the cupboards and placed them over the table. "Oh yeah, doctor, what would you have? Coffee or tea?"

Law only looked at her.

"Doctor? Oh, is he your cousin?" Ross was looking over at the Warlord by then. Turning the electric stove's power to minimum, he left it alone and approached Law. "I'm Ross. I'm glad to finally meet you."

Law didn't respond and only looked at the young lad. He studied his face as he felt something amiss from how the redhead stared at him.

Elka decided to properly introduce the two to break the awkward silence that suddenly took place. Gesturing at Ross, she said, "Ross, he's do- err, Law." she then gestured to Law and stated, "Doctor, this is Ross. He's a _friend_."

Law noted how Elka stressed the word friend to him. He figured Elka sensed his cautious distrust towards the redhead but he was confident the gal at least knew where he was coming from. The lad had a strange aura surrounding him despite looking all simple and neutral.

Ross extended a hand to the Warlord and smiled a little. "So it's mister Law huh? Or can I drop the honorific?"

Law smirked. He ignored the redhead's offered hand and turned to Elka to answer her earlier question. "I'll have coffee. Two sugar cubes."

Elka grew nervous. She saw what just happened and she was afraid of how Ross would take it. She looked at the redhead with apologetic eyes but the lad didn't seem to mind at all. Ross only sighed, taking his hand to the back of his head ruffling red locks under it.

"Ross, I-"

"Don't sweat it." Ross boredly replied, not allowing Elka to finish her apology. He then went back to the stove to check on the pork ribs he was boiling.

Grey eyes flashed towards the redhead's back. Law was certain he detected strong hostility coming from the lad but it was gone by the instant he took notice of it. His eyes narrowed on the man as he quietly observed him.

"Well, what would you have, Ross? The usual?" Elka decided to forget what just happened and shot Law a glare. She then walked up to the pantry, taking out packets of coffee and sugar cubes.

Ross lightly hummed. "Nah, don't make anything for me. I'll only drink whole milk today."

"Wow, that's new." Elka remarked, placing all packets over the table. She jogged towards the fridge and took out a pitcher of milk. "What gives? I thought you can't live without coffee?"

Ross glanced back at her briefly. "Hey, I can change my mind whenever I want."

"Right." Elka smirked. She sat beside Law this time, and the two began speaking in a low tone to avoid alerting the redhead.

"Doctor, please don't be rude to Ross."

"How long have you known him?" Law asked, almost accusingly.

"More or less three months?"

"How much do you know him?"

Elka frowned. She didn't understand why Law was asking her those kinds of questions but she decided to answer honestly to find out where their conversation was going. "I guess enough to be friends?"

"You talk often?"

"Not really. Only during breakfast."

"Do you like him?"

"Of course. He's a bit eccentric but he's a good guy."

Law looked intently at Elka. "How much do you trust him?"

Elka stopped to think, her eyes narrowing at the question. "What are you getting at?"

Law didn't say anymore. The two just stared at each other until Law himself decided to break eye contact and focused on his coffee.

Elka grew worried with the way Law spoke to her. She couldn't grasp the essence of his questions. Elka glanced at Ross and she couldn't accept Law's suspicions towards the lad. To Elka, Ross had been a good person. She was the only person who actually uses the kitchen, and because of Ross, Elka stopped eating alone in that huge kitchen.

"Doctor, Ross is a friend. I assure you, he's a good person." Elka said, almost pleadingly.

Law didn't respond. Hearing Elka say it that way was enough to make him understand how much she trusted the young man, but since she sounded eager to make him comfortable around the redhead meant she probably trusts him more. It spoke volumes of how true Ross's eccentricity Elka mentioned earlier, making him infinitely curious about the guy.

=/=

When Ross served the food, he showed Elka his phone and announced, "Hey Elka, you should see the footage that was shown to us in last night's news."

Elka jolted by the mention of 'last night's news'. She inhaled deeply before urging the redhead to show him the video he was referring to.

"I'm sure mister Law is curious as well." Ross glanced at Law, smiling a little before operating his device to find the said video. "It's actually the talk on famebook today, since there was a full footage leaked in the net."

Elka swallowed hard as the realization hit her. It was what frightened her the most - technology. Internet was a powerful tool for everything, good or bad, and she'd been wanting to avoid trouble in order to shun away from watchful gazes that is the internet.

Later, Ross handed over his phone to Elka. "I apologize beforehand if it brings back bad memories. And man, we're about to eat breakfast too. I just thought you have to see it if you hadn't yet, Elka."

Elka was anxious since the beginning of the video. Law also peered over the phone to see what made Elka so nervous. He was surprised to see himself in it, making him wonder how far different their technology from his world was. Everything was caught on camera until the part where the man holding Elka hostage fell back dead. Suddenly, the camera went black until it got tossed over and was now showing one of the masked men standing before it. The video stopped and showed static, hinting the camera might have been broken by then.

At first, Elka was confused about it until she caught a glimpse of Law from the corner of her eye, reminding her of Law's ability to switch things. He might have taken notice of it and switched it over with one of the men's gun but she could never be sure. Law looked like he was fascinated with what he was witnessing, a smirk plastered on his face.

"So that's what it was." Law muttered to himself in understanding. Elka heard this, prompting her to elbow the man. She shot him a knowing look before looking at Ross.

"Ross, is this the whole footage shown in the news?"

Ross's eyes widened in surprise when he heard her question. "You mean you really didn't check?"

Elka forced a smile before returning his phone. "I didn't exactly want to see it, Ross..."

"Right. Sorry about that." Ross took the phone and kept it in his pocket. "Well, no. The news only showed the part where mister Law stabbed the guy pointing a gun at him on the neck. They cut it there."

Elka nodded solemnly, her gaze drifting to Law who remained quiet and apathetic about the matter at hand.

"Mama said mister Law just did what a normal person would when threatened but I think he just knew what he was doing." Ross stated. He appeared to be pleased. "I mean, that swift movement was decisive. He was certain his opponent won't be able to retaliate." Ross looked at Law in amazement, blue eyes glinting in awe. "And he had quick thinking. Who would have thought to cover themselves with their opponent's body in that sticky situation? I bet he's one of the FBI, CIA, whatever secret big shot people, right?"

Law was surprised at the redhead's keen observation. From that angle, and even without sounds, he figured out what was going through his mind. It just strengthened his suspicions, and also his curiosity about the young man. He didn't look it, but Law knew the kid had something up his sleeves.

Elka, on the other hand, was not pleased by this. She frowned at Ross's remarks. "So that's why you wanted to meet my cousin." Elka sighed. "Look, Ross, he's not some kind of mafia or whatever. If he was, then I will be too."

Ross giggled at the thought. "Right. Ain't too realistic." he stared at Elka fondly. "I'm just glad mister Law had great instincts. I'd be sad if you got hurt, Elka."

"Really? You're hurting me right now, though." Elka replied, her tone laced in sarcasm.

"Right. Sorry about that. I'll stop here." Ross grinned at the gal, his eyes looking playful rather than apologetic. He then glanced at Law and said, "Mister Law, I hope you don't mind my company."

Law lightly nodded his head, giving Ross the acknowledgment he had been seeking since. The redhead looked fairly pleased by it, and Law noted how that tiny hostility he'd been sensing up to that time completely vanished. It turned out the lad was just as simple as the next guy, although he still felt there was something different.

=/=

When the trio finished, Ross volunteered to wash the dishes and Elka decided to wait for him to finish before they all part ways. Law didn't mind as he still wanted to know more about the redhead.

"So Ross, what were the comments to that footage? I didn't get to read them earlier..." Elka asked, slightly scared with the lad's answer. She had a good grasp of what people might say about it and she was thankful their faces weren't too clear in the video, otherwise it'd be hard for them to walk outside.

"Well, everyone was curious about mister Law." Ross began. "Most of the comments was asking who he was and if they could get a clearer image of him."

Elka rolled her eyes. She should have expected that much from the internet. "Great. What else was there?"

Ross glanced at her over his shoulder. "They were praising mister Law's actions, saying it was cool and all that jazz."

"I don't know if I should be happy about that." Elka sighed.

Ross returned his focus to washing dishes. "There were a few critics though, saying it wasn't right and that mister Law deliberately hurt and killed those masked men." as he was done, he dried his hands on a towel hanging by the fridge and approached the two. "Personally, I think mister Law did the right thing. Intended or not, preserving your own life should be number one."

Elka seemed hesitant but she couldn't deny the truth behind the redhead's words. Even in court, they might still consider it as self-defense, especially since Law was indeed held at gunpoint several times. He even got scraped by a bullet; fighting back was already a given.

"Anyway, we're going to the convention today, right?" Ross asked.

Elka was shocked. "Convention?"

Ross wondered. "You forgot? You've been telling me since Monday you were excited for today's convention, Elka."

"Wait, what? What convention? What day is it?"

"1st of October?" Ross frowned. "It's the biggest Cosplay Convention, right?"

Elka put her hands on her head in panic. "Oh my fuck! I totally forgot!"

Ross gave a short laugh. "I guess that means we're not going anymore, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Ross! I think I do remember saying we're going today, ugh..." Elka looked like she really regretted it, making Ross feel a bit guilty for reminding it to the gal.

"Don't worry about it. We can go next year." Ross reassured, lightly patting Elka's shoulder.

"I'm real sorry, Ross. You see, me and doctor had plans today."

Ross raised his brows in shock, blue eyes drifting towards the Warlord. "Doctor? Now that I think about it, you mean, he's a doctor?"

"Yeah." Elka glanced back at Law and smiled a little. "A really good one."

"Really?" the redhead hardly believed Elka's claims. He looked at Law once more, carefully studying his face. "Wow... You're a doctor? I mean, with that kind of prowess in battle I never would have..." Ross paused to completely admire the Warlord. He then took notice of Law's tattoos on both arms and hands down to his fingers, morphing his expression into confusion. "Hold on, those tattoos look familiar."

Elka flinched at Ross's reaction. She knew the redhead would recognize Law's tattoos sooner or later for he was also a fan of One Piece. Although not as hardcore as her, Ross was well versed with One Piece characters.

"You probably saw it on a book." Law finally spoke, his voice smooth.

Elka nearly yelped when she heard Law's voice. And to think he would even hint at _Mangas_ being books, the Warlord clearly wanted to start something.

Ross stared hard and long, thinking deep until he decided to say out loud what was on his mind. "You're a fan of One Piece?"

Law smirked. "Probably."

"Oh. I can guess who's your favorite." Ross sounded excited but suddenly, he froze in the spot. "Wait, you're called Law too?"

Elka decided to butt in. "Yeah. Auntie had a huge obsession with one syllable names." her voice came out even despite the forced smile on her face.

"I see." Ross nodded at Elka. He stared at Law and grinned. "But man you're lucky! You get to carry the name of your favorite character, mister Law!" Ross happily exclaimed. It seemed the lad was warming up to the Warlord by then. "You even look a lot similar, same goatee and sideburns. You must be a huge fan!"

Elka had never been thankful to Ross being as innocent as she'd be at times. She was also glad Law didn't take his hat along with him that time, otherwise it would have made Ross all giddy with Law's 'obsession' with One Piece, or something like that.

Law got curious about the people idolizing their personas. It was true he disliked it at first, but as he conversed with another person besides Elka regarding his world and the well-known figures in it, he began to find it funny.

"So, who's your favorite, Ross- _ya_?" Law asked, making Elka turn her head to him in shock, gawking at him in utter disbelief.

Ross looked glad. "You probably would hate me since you like a pirate. For me, I like Admiral Akainu. Yeah, he could be very extreme and cold, but he's just doing what he deems right. I really loved how he became Fleet Admiral. I bet he'd make the Gorosei mad for the rest of his reign as Fleet Admiral."

Law's eyes widened as he listened to the redhead. Knowing that, he had a good grasp of the lad's values and morals. Fleet Admiral Akainu was ruthless, and he could see the similarity between the two.

Amused, Law gave him a light pat on the head. "Good choice."

Elka didn't understand why Law was pleased with Ross's revelation. She herself felt so disappointed in Ross when he told her who his favorite was. She even argued with him for a whole week to make the boy change his mind but his beliefs were firm, until she just gave up and accepted that every fan views One Piece differently. After all, what's important was that they all enjoy the story.

Soon, the trio went on separate ways. Elka told Ross they could at least go tomorrow since the convention runs in two days. Ross agreed, wishing her and Law the best of luck for their plan that day.

"Doctor, do you, maybe, like Admiral Akainu?" Elka abruptly asked, making the Warlord halt in his tracks.

Law glared at her. "What is it now, Elka- _ya_?"

"You told Ross he was a good choice. Why?" Elka looked intently at Law. "Honestly, I hate Akainu. He killed Ace."

"So you knew that." Law stated, delighted that Elka's knowledge wasn't a bluff. "You're telling me you like Fire Fist- _ya_ , correct?"

"Of course! Ace is Luffy's brother!" Elka exclaimed pointedly. "Akainu played dirty! They should've been able to save Ace if he didn't trick one of Whitebeard's men!"

Law rolled his eyes and resumed walking, making Elka yell angrily at him. It didn't stop him though, forcing Elka to run after him.

"Hey, what's this?! What's this kind of reaction?!"

"Look, I don't know what exactly happened in that war, and I'm glad you had inside intel, it makes you an invaluable ally. But know this, Elka- _ya_." Law stopped when they reached Elka's door. With a piercing glare, he sternly stated, "It doesn't matter which world. Good and evil never really matter, for there is only the strong and the weak. Justice, Elka- _ya_ , only the strong can claim it."

Elka was flabbergasted by Law's statement. She understood Law only acknowledged the strong considering how his world worked but she also realized by then, power was also everything in their world. Money, weapons, fame and connections - they represented power, and people who possess all at once were the law. Elka gritted his teeth in frustration. She refused to agree yet what the Warlord had stated was true.

"So you're telling me, you admire the Admirals?"

Law sighed. "No, but I do recognize their strength, and I respect it. As a Warlord, I got to talk to them at least once."

"You're still a pirate. You can't possibly be saying you're afraid of them."

"I _will_ overcome them." Law decisively declared. "I never said I was afraid of them. I like the strong. There's no thrill defeating the weak, Elka- _ya_."

Elka seemed satisfied with Law's answer, making her brighten a little. Still, what he said about power, about good or evil, it hit her hard. In Earth, she was aware of it, only she kept ignoring it as it didn't really impacted on her life. But there existed the poor, the condemned, and the deceived who couldn't obtain justice as they were considered weak, dumb enough to fall for such trickery and eventually, falling into depravity, making them evil. It saddened her, but despite this, she told herself there was nothing else she could do. She was not a hero. She didn't have the power to help them, to tip the scales. She was just a simple student with problems just like everyone else. She was nothing special, and because of this she had to work hard. Elka decided to bury those feelings and thoughts for the time being as they were unnecessary. She had to focus on the problem at hand that was Trafalgar Law.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** Yes. I edited this chapter. **A LOT**. There are **major** changes and I apologize for rushing this chapter before. I don't have an excuse. Anyway, thank you and please enjoy._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Seventh Sign**_

Trafalgar Law quietly watched Elka tidying up the books and papers on the rack that was standing right beside her computer. Seeing the titles printed in the books, Law figured they were medical volumes and manuals, possibly the papers were also medical notes. He was relatively interested about the comparison of his medical knowledge with the woman despite knowing she was a freshman - meaning she had just started studying the course. Law wanted to give her books a read, a skim, just a quick peek to learn any of Elka's world's advancement in science. Of course, Law was only assuming the world he was currently in was more developed compared to his world, taking into account the evolution of their technology.

"Elka- _ya_ , may I see your book?" Law asked, unable to hold his thirst for knowledge.

Elka paused, throwing him an inquisitive look. "Er, which book, doctor?"

Grey eyes glided over the books stacked on Elka's arms, squinting in an effort to read the topmost title. "...Medical Physiology."

Elka was frozen for a moment. She almost questioned Law's motives until realization hit her, pursing her lips as she handed him the said book. She observed Law for a while, anticipating questions regarding the said title but minutes had passed, yet she received no query. Instead, Law skimmed through each chapters, faintly nodding his head as he flipped through the pages before finally voicing out his opinion.

"I'm surprised." he simply said, his eyes still glued at a certain page.

Elka waited, but the Warlord did not seem too eager to expound further. "Surprised at what?"

Law took a moment to shift his gaze towards Elka. "It's almost similar." he gently closed the book and returned it to the girl. "May I see another?"

Elka looked as if she was suppressing a smile. "You're curious if we have similar medical knowledge, is that it?" she sounded confident.

Law smirked. "Yes. I can't rule it out yet, after all, that was just human physiology."

Elka nodded her head in agreement, handing the Warlord another title. "If you want, you can scan my books." she offered, laying down the stacks of books in her arms over her bed. "Take your pick. It's still early anyway."

Law looked briefly at the gal before taking a seat over the edge of the bed. He took the liberty to spread the medical titles closer to him and began to inspect and read each of them. Elka seemed to enjoy watching the man study her books as she kept glancing back at him while she continued sorting her notes and reviewers.

Silence took over and the two didn't seem to mind at all. Law was immersed in Elka's books as he found a few tidbits of modern medicine that fascinated him. There were also a few notable diseases that seemed to be new to him. Admittedly, the dark doctor enjoyed the knowledge Elka's books offered. Once he finished one to get another volume to read, he would mentally tell himself to ' _bring this(title of book) back with me_ ' and at the same time, he would look at Elka as if he found treasure.

Meanwhile, the raven-haired woman was preoccupied with the current arrangement of her things. Elka kept moving her papers from one side to another, until she settled with arranging them in a descending order of 'difficulty' - classifying them as the 'hardest subject' to 'easiest subject'. Not later, she was marking her mini calendar. She then took out her planner and scribbled a time table on it. When she was done, she just placed the calendar and the planner over her computer desk so she would easily be reminded of her tasks once they get back.

Elka twirled in delight as she praised herself mentally for managing to make a time table. She stopped halfway, catching Law's grey eyes glued on her. He didn't even bother to look surprised.

"Oh, are you done?" Elka inquired.

"Sort of." Law breathed. "I only skimmed through them, but I wish to read them properly." he gave her a pointed look. "It would be a pleasure to have them in _my_ shelf."

Elka raised an eyebrow at his implication. She placed her hands over her hips, and with a cheeky grin, she told Law, "Those are pretty expensive. You'll have to earn the money if you want to own one."

"Or you can just lend them to me."

Elka sighed. "You do understand I read them, right?" she paused for a moment, comprehending Law's suggestion. She frowned at the idea. "Actually, you can't borrow them. For all I know, you want to take them with you back to your world."

Law smirked. "You're also..someone I would like to take with me."

" _No_." Elka firmly replied, gathering her books and arranging them on her shelf. "I already explained to you, I _don't_ want to go with you."

"I never _really_ mentioned it has to be voluntary."

Elka glared back at the man. "You wouldn't."

Law only leered at her but eventually, he shrugged it off. "Still, I'm a bit surprised to know that your medical advancement is almost the same as ours." he gently closed his eyes as he tried to recall all sorts of medical publications he had read. "Besides a few discoveries and variations, I think I can safely assume I have the same knowledge as your world's physicians."

"I can't really tell, I don't have enough knowledge to call myself a legitimate doctor yet." Elka flatly said. "But I think your world is more advanced with regards to medicine - or knowledge in general."

Law raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why would you say so?"

"Your world is vast, no, it's _humongous_!" Elka exclaimed. "Compared to our world, yours is brimming with so many islands, so many places and so many magical and mystical things. There are so many plants which possess potential medicinal property, so many creatures that may produce products with potential therapeutic quality. Just thinking about the countless possibilities, the endless learning your world has to offer drives me mad!" Elka looked and sounded dreamy and excited as she spoke. Her feelings of love and devotion for the series clearly showed.

Law smiled, pleased with Elka's enthusiasm towards his world, and more importantly, her unexpected hunger for knowledge and passion for learning. "It seems to me you would love to sail the seas with me."

"But I can't." Elka sighed. "It's just..a fantasy of mine."

Law frowned. "I keep telling you I'm going to take you with me."

"And I keep reminding you how I'm struggling to draw the line." Elka retorted. "Doctor, _this_ is my reality. Please understand." she was almost pleading the man.

Law only looked at her, vividly annoyed by her stubbornness. It didn't help that the woman was vague with her reasons as to why she was fervently refusing his invitation. He understood her reasoning regarding her identity and character, but he never understood why she kept saying 'reality'. It sounded as if Elka still believed he was fiction - that he was not real. It did not sit well with Law, as he was confident he showed her how perfectly alive and real he was. Heck, he protected her and he killed her people. Law was a very capable man, a man powerful enough to earn the title of a Warlord and he was practically the best doctor alive in his world, considering him possessing the ultimate devil fruit ability. It was a big mystery to him - Elka's attachment to her world and her immunity against his devil fruit powers.

Regardless, Law took no offense and didn't dwell on the issue at hand. After all, he was a pirate, and in the end, Law knew he _will_ get what he wants.

=/=

The clock just struck eleven in the morning when Elka was done dressing up. She let her hair hang freely down to her shoulders, clipping up her bangs so they don't obstruct her face. She wore a textured knit, long sleeved burgundy turtle neck dress to hide the mark and the bruises that were still visible on her neck and arms, pairing it with a brown, mid-calf boots. She also wore a white wristwatch and she carried a brown satchel that contained her wallet, a maroon automatic umbrella, two face towels - one green and one blue - and finally, her room key.

Trafalgar Law wore a black hooded yellow shirt with a print of his jolly roger in its front, overlaid with a white button-up jacket, which of course he left undone, to hide the tattoos on his arms. Law also wore a fleshy orange tartan jeans, and the same black shoes he wore yesterday. He didn't wear his dotted hat yet, as Elka was fixing him up.

"It feels nice to be able to dress you up like this." Elka muttered merrily while she fixed the buttons on Law's jacket sleeves.

Law heard her, making him suppress a laugh as he found her silly for liking such a thing. "I can see you're having fun. You would be given more opportunities like this if you come with me."

Elka chortled at Law's persistence. "I never would have thought you're the insistent type." when she was done, she moved a few steps back to marvel at Law's current look. Nodding her head in assent, she smiled, "Man, you look good."

"When I see a clear and solid benefit, I won't give it a second thought." Law gave her a knowing smile. "I'll expect something good in exchange for allowing you this."

Elka sighed, closing her eyes in resignation. "Yes, I understand." she cleared her throat and acted as if she was on stage. "You shall be in command today. In times of danger, I shall not interfere nor pose as a burden to the great captain of the Heart Pirates, the Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law." she recited these words a bit like a fifth grader reciting a poem, almost teasing and sarcastic.

Law was amused by Elka's feisty attempt to goad him. Smirking dangerously, he proceeded to take his sword with him and challenged, "You won't complain, right?"

"Hey, that's not part of our agreement!" Elka quickly retorted, her face distorted in panic.

Law chuckled at her reaction. "You're adorable when you're scared."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now let go of your sword so we can go, _please_." Elka grumbled, frowning at the realization how Law just baited her. Despite it, she was thankful that the Warlord had graced her this one request, although she knew he only allowed her so he could hold it against her when he attempts to take her with him back to his world.

Elka was a bit restless somehow, and hesitant about her current plan. Law came with bad luck, and she prayed hard nothing serious would happen to them for the day.

When the two got out of the room, they were met with Elka's neighbor, a girl of long chestnut hair tied into a ponytail, and brown eyes. Law recognized her as she was one of the girls who stalled them last night, and he also knew how Elka was fairly close with the gal as they talked the longest that time.

"Oh, morning Maribelle." Elka greeted as she locked her door. "Going somewhere?" Elka asked upon noticing how the woman looked all dressed up.

"Elka, morning!" the older woman greeted back, smiling. Her eyes found Law who stood behind Elka and wondered,"Oh, you two going somewhere too?"

Elka smiled. "Yeah. What about you? Where are you going today?"

"Oh my, you two are dating!?" Maribelle excitedly exclaimed, completely ignoring Elka's question.

Elka felt awkward at the older woman's remark. "Uh, Maribelle? We're cousins."

The older woman gasped. "Oh! That's right! You're cousins!" her eyes darted from Elka to Law more than twice as if assessing the credibility of Elka's statement. "Elka, if you never told me you were cousins, I would seriously think you two are going out. He seems to be your type of guy and you're all dressed up. You look real good together!"

Elka blushed at the woman's remark. "Oh come on, Maribelle. You really need to do something about your eyes."

"So I'm your type of guy, huh?" Law's voice came smooth like silk, as if coaxing Elka into replying honestly.

"Yeah. Tall, tan guys have a special place in my heart, and-" Elka immediately stopped herself when she realized she was actually stating her thoughts aloud. Embarrassed, she almost wanted to dig a hole and bury herself right there and then. Her whole face turned bright red, even her ears, and this amused both Law and Maribelle.

Maribelle winked at Law, jabbing her thumbs up to the man in mirth. "Smooth! Teasing Elka had always been easy but making her blush all the way to her ears is a great feat, mister!"

Elka quickly slapped off her hands and glared at her. "I seriously hate you, Maribelle. Must you tease me every chance you get?"

"But of course! You probably just don't want to admit it but you're so cute when you turn red as a tomato!" Maribelle was laughing by then, pinching Elka's both cheeks as she tried to forcefully replace her scowl with a smile.

Elka found it hard to stay mad at the brunette. Maribelle was an easygoing, cheerful kind, carrying a sunny atmosphere around her. Elka knew she was just probably trying to cheer her up, but she wished the brunette had done it in a way she could have avoided confessing such shameful secret to the one person Elka never really expected to exist.

"Anyway, we're going to GreemBills today." Elka decided to start a new subject.

Maribelle gasped in surprise. "Sweet! I'm also going there to meet my friends!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "This is a great opportunity! I'm going to introduce you to Renton!" she placed both hands over Elka's shoulder, almost shaking her in excitement. "He's tall, dark, handsome, and loaded! He won't disappoint, I promise!"

Elka let out a short, hesitant laugh. She was unsure what to feel about her friend's doltish character. "Um, what are you talking about?"

"I'm helping you to get a boyfriend, sister." the brunette bluntly replied. "Renton's fairly cool with anything, and _anyone_ , so I bet you'll have a chance! You look especially beautiful today, too!"

"I don't know what to feel about that." Elka gently removed Maribelle's hands from her shoulders.

"I'm actually complimenting you, Elka! No joke!" Maribelle was staring intently at Elka, scrutinizing her from head to toe. "Just look at you, girl! You rock that dress!"

Elka blushed. "Damn. I know you're just teasing but I keep falling for it."

Maribelle giggled at Elka's reaction. She then glanced up at Law who quietly watched the two of them in the background. "Sorry, mister, it was rude of me to just steal Elka away from you." Maribelle playfully smiled at the man.

Elka cleared her throat and glanced at Law. "Maribelle, this is Law." she then gestured at the brunette next. "Doctor, she's Maribelle."

"Wait wait wait! He's a doctor?" Maribelle instantly asked upon hearing how Elka addressed the man.

"Yup." Elka nodded her head proudly. "A legitimate doctor."

"Wow!" she quickly approached the man. "Where did you finish your studies? And where do you work now? And _what's your type of woman_?" she eagerly asked, putting emphasis on that last question she dropped.

Law was surprised, and somehow amused with the brunette's actions and words. He was still contemplating how he'd answer the questions thrown at him when Elka beat him to it.

"He studied abroad and worked overseas. He came here for vacation." Elka blatantly lied, but she stated it so confidently, no one would be able to doubt her words. She then crossed her arms, a mischievous grin plastered on her face, "And asking a guy his type of woman is just plain wrong in your case, Maribelle. Daniel is going to hear about this."

Maribelle equally grinned, placing both hands over her hips and proudly announced, "Ha! Nice try, Elka, but Danny knows I love him and I know he loves me as well. And we trust each other." she huffed in derision and continued, "I was asking for reference. Usually, guys like him tend to have similar tastes. You should be grateful instead."

"Fine. When I see Daniel, I'm going to tell on you." Elka grumpily replied, to which Maribelle readily accepted, glaring back at the raven-haired woman.

Not later, the two were chatting and giggling as if Law wasn't even there. They met Daniel who was waiting by the gates of the dormitory. He was also dressed up in such fashion that complimented Maribelle's outfit.

"Hey, Elka!" waving a pale hand, Daniel greeted the gal as he saw the trio approaching. "I didn't expect you to be out today." he added, worry creasing his forehead.

Maribelle kissed the man as greeting and replied in Elka's stead, "Danny, Elka's tough." she then glanced back to the girl in question. "Moping around isn't her at all."

Elka gave them a coy smile. "I appreciate the worry, Daniel."

Daniel's green eyes glided over to the Warlord. "I take it you're Elka's cousin?"

Law only looked at the man as if sizing him up, taking in his image.

"Daniel, he's Law." Elka took it upon herself to introduce the two. She then gestured at the Warlord and continued, "Doctor, this is Daniel."

Daniel smiled and nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Law."

Law only nodded back without saying anything.

=/=

Their travel to the shopping center went smoothly. Under an hour, they reached the GreemBills Shopping center. It was a massive structure composed of several buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers with interconnecting walkways that enable customers to walk from unit to unit. The establishment was designed so that department stores and hypermarkets for the masses were in the lowest floor and as you go up a floor, specialty stores and more expensive stuff were being sold. The same went for food - food courts were situated at the lowest floor while one may find specialty restaurants at the higher floors. GreemBills was a super-regional center in their city so it was not surprising to walk past a celebrity at a gold label fashion center, a political figure eating at a luxurious restaurant, or a government official looking at expensive watches.

The four of them had just entered the mall's premises when Maribelle received a message from the friends they were about to meet, saying they were going to run late because a vehicular accident occurred at their area. Daniel called them and confirmed that everyone was fine and unhurt, only the traffic was heavy due to a truck getting involved in said accident, eating up two lanes in B-Highway. With that information, the lovers decided to stick around with Elka and Law.

It was half an hour past noon when they found themselves standing right in front of Elka's favorite shop: Flay Giants. Elka always thought the shop's choice of name was sort of weird, considering how there were also small _figmas_ and _nendoroids_ being sold in their shop. Elka glanced at Maribelle, who in turn urged her to just get it over with while she and her boyfriend look around outside. Elka lightly pulled on the hem of Law's jacket, imploring him to enter the shop.

Trafalgar Law quietly looked around while Elka spoke with one of the staffs. He still found it uncomfortable to find a few statues of himself, boxed with a price tag stuck over it. He scrutinized the figures, almost considering of destroying the entire place when he found a completely topless of statue of him.

"Doctor, bad news." Elka spoke, taking his attention.

Law frowned. He wanted to express his displeasure of seeing merchandise of himself sold in such manner but managed to restrain himself.

"The master says they were all sold out." Elka looked disappointed. "I know there are other figures of you being sold in here but I don't think they're going to work. It has to be that specific figure."

Law rolled his eyes. He had enough of Elka's statue/figure shenanigans. "Frankly, I couldn't care less about it." he muttered under his breath.

"I'm really sorry this turned out to be a waste of time and effort!" Elka hurriedly bowed her head in regret. "Let's think of another way."

"Is this the only shop?" Law asked, staring blankly outside. "Aren't those toy shops as well?" he gestured at the boutiques lined up in that lane.

"That's true. We can check them." Elka acceded.

The duo checked each stores to no avail. Later, they were reunited with the lovers but it seemed their friends hadn't arrived yet so the four of them decided to just eat lunch together. It was already past one and they hadn't eaten yet. Daniel just sent their friends a message about it, saying they'd be eating on ahead and reminding them not to arrive later than two as the show they bought tickets for will be shown at that time.

=/=

Soon, the four of them found themselves sitting on leather chairs inside a seemingly modernized restaurant specializing in Aisan food. The whole place was cozy and warm, and fairly unique due to the brown wood shutters serving as the wall windows of the shop. The beams of sunlight peeks through it, lighting up the whole room better even with just one large chandelier hanging on the center ceiling of the place. The wooden flooring complimented the wooden tables, and sitting over it were white ceramic dishes, silver utensils and stemless wine glasses.

"Wow, this is my first time eating at a classy restaurant." Maribelle remarked as they were each given the menu by a male waiter who introduced himself as Tim, who shall be assisting them to their table.

"What would you like, Mari?" Daniel nudged the girl sitting beside him, gesturing at a certain meal.

Elka and Law silently browsed through the menu. It was also Elka's first time in such restaurant, and she only opted to pick that particular place because it looked fresh and peaceful to her. Another thing she considered was that she wanted to try something new for a change considering she rarely went out.

Seconds later, Law set down the menu over the table. "I'll take anything with rice." he told Elka. "You can decide the rest."

Elka nodded her head without looking at the man. She kept her eyes on the menu as she mentally calculated the amount she'd have to prepare for payment later on. She wasn't exactly tight on budget, she just preferred keeping up with the calculations when it came to ordering, or buying anything at all.

"I never get tired seeing you all serious like this." Maribelle remarked, making Elka jolt in her seat.

Elka shot her a glare but didn't retort back. She turned to Law and told him her picks, to which the Warlord easily agreed. As soon as their orders were finally taken and were being processed, the four began chatting as they waited.

"So, what are you all meeting up for? Research?" Elka began.

"It's a long weekend, Elka." Maribelle answered pointedly. "We just want to unwind. Being a third year is no joke. We're seriously stressed out and we need the time off."

Elka laughed. "Well, I'm guessing you're going to watch a movie. A horror film."

"Of course! Medical students can only find comfort on watching movies!" Maribelle exclaimed, eliciting laughs from both Elka and Daniel.

"I remember you telling me food was your comfort." Daniel commented, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Don't you go implying I'm getting fat." Maribelle glared softly at the man. "When one is stressed, one may find way more comfort from simpler things." she recited this as if she was pulling off a magnificent quote from the bible.

"I'm amazed at how you can stay sane with all your studying and partying." Elka stated. "I mean, you still have time to socialize with all those case reports and CD ward duties?"

"Oh, Elka, my dear child. You're lucky you're still a freshman. You gotta savor your time now or you'll regret it." Maribelle rubbed her forehead, wincing at the memory of her hectic weeks. "When you become third year, you gotta sacrifice a lot. And I mean _a lot_. _Of sleep_."

"In case you don't know, I've been sacrificing sleep for a while now already." Elka told her. "I'm trying to keep my scholarship so I'm burning my eyebrows in my spare time."

"That's not spare time anymore!" Daniel claimed. "I can relate since Architecture can be very tough and punishing too. I'm just glad I'm over it now, but finding work is more dreadful."

"And when you do get some work, you really had to focus on it." Maribelle ended. She then glanced at Law and asked, "You've been quiet for a while, Law. How about you tell us about your work? Are you a specialist? Actually, how old are you?"

Elka's body tensed when the two were focused on Law. She tried her best to keep their attention from the Warlord but she knew she couldn't do it forever. She just hoped Law wouldn't say anything extraordinary.

Law sensed Elka grow stiff by the mention of his name. It was true he would like to test Elka's patience but he didn't fancy trivial chitchats, so he simply replied, "I'm 26. I'm a surgeon."

Elka released a sigh of relief once Law paused. She was glad the man didn't say anything weird - anything pirate-related.

The two asking looked awfully surprised.

"You're already a surgeon at 26!?" Maribelle incredulously stared at the man.

"It's four years specialization, right? Assuming you finished a four-year course by 19 and immediately took medicine so, 23, plus four more years... 23, 24, 25..." Daniel trailed off as he counted on his fingers. "No way, it doesn't add up."

"You're practically telling us you're a genius!" Maribelle declared, slapping the table in the process.

"Hey, calm down!" Elka hissed low, placing her index finger in front of her lips as in 'keep quiet' sign.

Daniel rubbed his chin and bobbed his head in understanding. "That's not surprising, now that I think about it. You _are_ related to Elka, and she's brilliant."

Elka blushed at the compliment. "Thanks, Daniel. I'm not that smart, though."

"But man, Elka, your family's no joke." Maribelle stared at Law in awe. "I mean, just look at him! Why do most male doctors look so handsome and fit?!" she was directing a hand towards the Warlord. "And he's even smart!"

Elka giggled nervously. "Yeah... I wonder why..."

"If you don't mind me asking though, is it really okay for you to have those tats?" Daniel asked, looking curiously at the tattoos on Law's hands and fingers. "I mean, they look ominous, especially the word on your knuckles..."

"They don't get in the way of my work." Law flatly stated, his voice a bit rough implying not to press him further regarding the matter. He disliked questions directed at things that may probe into his past, and his tattoos happened to be one of them.

Daniel quickly picked up from Law's tone his dislike about the subject. "I guess if your patients are okay with it, then it's cool..." he remarked, his voice weak.

"Patients don't really care as long as you get the job done." Maribelle explained. "I mean, I also have tats on my right leg, but I do make it a point to hide them at times."

The three kept chatting until the waiter finally came to deliver their food. As he laid down the dishes over the table, no one spoke nor moved. They quietly watched the waiter, their eyes intently staring at the food presentation. They weren't really ignorant, they were just captivated by its uniqueness.

The four of them quietly ate their food. None had the initiative to start any conversation. Maribelle and Daniel equally felt awkward when they deduced that Law wasn't the chatty type. The brunette kept glancing at Elka, but the girl comfortably ate beside Law, her focus on her own food. She opted to nudge her boyfriend to start something, but Daniel refused, whispering he was 'bad at conversations', making Maribelle irritated but she relented and eventually gave up.

Not later, Maribelle found herself watching Elka and Law eat. She wondered what was going through their minds and she was partly surprised to know that Elka could stay quiet. She had known the girl for a while back already and when they get lunch together in the school canteen, they always had something to talk about so she never really knew. She was about to ask Elka about it but stopped herself when Elka suddenly gestured at Law, offering her bowl filled with mushroom soup. The man spared her a glance and wordlessly dipped his spoon over said soup, bringing it to his lips and nodding his head in approval after. Their silent exchange tugged Maribelle's heartstrings, pulling her lips into a wide smile.

"I'm glad you're getting along really well." she abruptly announced, her tone laced with a certain fondness like a mother to her daughter.

Elka and Daniel looked surprised while Law cast a sidelong glance at her.

"After what happened yesterday, I was afraid Elka was only forcing herself to stay upbeat." Maribelle said, looking warmly at them. "But I can see Elka fared well." she directed her eyes on Law and gently bowed her head as in thanks. "I'm grateful."

Law felt his eyes widen at the brunette's gesture. "What are you thanking me for?" he was confused. Was she thanking him for Elka's well-being?

"I'm sure you helped her out. You were together, right? I'm glad you supported her." Maribelle explained, lightly clapping her hands together. "I'm just happy you two are as close as I assumed you to be."

"Thanks, Maribelle." Elka smiled, her nose slightly scrunching up in uncertainty.

Suddenly, Elka's phone rang. She took it out of her bag and checked who it was, and displayed on her screen was Ross's name. Of course she picked up.

"Hey Ross, what's up?"

"Where are you right now?" Ross asked in between wheezes. He sounded out of breath, as if he was currently running in a hurry.

Elka knitted her brows together in worry. "Didn't I say we're in GreemBills?"

"Elka, I want you to get out of there now." Ross firmly stated, catching his breath. "Five minutes, asap."

"...Okay." Elka mumbled after hearing Ross hang up. Although she didn't quite understand, she knew it was best to obey Ross when it came to instructions such as those. She looked at Maribelle, Daniel and Law respectively. "We have to go now."

"Who was it?" Maribelle asked.

"Ross." Elka quickly answered. "He said we have to get out of here under five minutes."

"Why?" Law asked, suspicious.

Before she could even answer back, there was an explosion. It didn't register on Elka's brain. There was a blinding flash, an awful noise of glass, the hoarse howl of people, the rushing men, the sudden gulf, the awful whirlpool of horror that is a ball of yellow flame billowing towards them - towards her.

Trafalgar Law was quick to respond. He cursed himself for failing to sense the impending threat. Summoning his room was easy but taking Elka away from peril was the tricky part.

 _Tact._

Lifting the wooden tables and chairs, Law motioned several objects to block the windows of the shop, shielding them from fire and debris that were sent flying to their direction. He covered for Elka using his body, shoving her down to the ground to protect her from the impact that the girl may receive from the sudden blow. There was a quake, and it seemed the upper floor was beginning to crumble. Law knew staying in place was a grave mistake, so he quickly grabbed Elka by her wrist and forcefully dragged her away from the spot.

Elka staggered to her feet, feeling shaky. She had trouble seeing and hearing, she was confused. She was running, Law was dragging her. Everyone was running and almost out of breath. There were a lot of people, muffled screams, shattering glasses and fire alarms going off. Then there was a loud crash, and another explosion. A great gush of flame caught up to them and the ground vanished.

Everything went blank.

Trafalgar Law was awake, of course he was. Although he was lean his body was pretty sturdy. He didn't suffer that much damage, in fact, he felt like he just got punched in the back and nothing more. He stood in slight confusion amid chaos as he tried to remember what it was he was clutching before his vision suddenly went upside down. He found himself standing near a broken staircase. There were debris of glasses and breakage, fallen pillars, chunks of rocks - beneath them were crushed bodies of once living, some still twitching, possibly alive but surely dying.

There were still a lot of people running around the area, screaming and panicking. Law scanned the area and carefully advanced until he found a familiar girl of brown hair, lying by the broken glasses that was previously a jewelry display, unconscious.

It was Maribelle.

Law's face turned grim when he realized Elka was nowhere near him. He was certain he grabbed the raven-haired woman with him, but when the floor cracked he was uncertain if Elka fell down with him or not.

"Elka- _ya_!" he called out. Due to the scattered cries and noises, he doubted Elka would hear him. He didn't even know why he tried calling for her, she was probably unconscious and lying somewhere, _dying_.

The thought made Law panic. He summoned his room in alarm, expanding his spherical territory as big as he could, covering the entire area of wreckage.

 _Tact._

Lifting his index finger up, all debris scattered around him began floating. He checked underneath them, leaving no stone unturned. There were people, girls and boys, young and old, some still breathing while others had already stopped. Those who could still move grabbed the opportunity to stand up and run, never wondering how those heavy objects began floating up. They were just thankful - thankful to survive.

It took Law a minute to clear off the area, but he never found Elka.

" _Fuck_!" he growled in exasperation. Law was never the type to easily lose composure but it was a time of total disaster. Losing Elka was the most grievous error he could ever make. " _Damn it_!" Law had never cursed so much since who knows when.

Glaring up at what was left of the upper floor, Law noted how the topmost ceiling was about to collapse, warning him that time was running out. He still had to check the upper floor - if Elka didn't fall down with him, she should be up there instead.

 _Should be._

With a slight gesture, Law arranged the chunks of bricks and broken pillars into a staircase and used them to climb up. When he reached the upper floor, he quickly found Elka not far off, lying down on the ground trying to get up, blood dripping on her face at her right temporal side. She was underneath a pile of pillars stuck at a cracked wall that was threatening to give in and crush her in any second.

Law wasted no time and applied his powers to said pillars. With a flick of his hand, he pushed away all objects that may harm the woman. He then strode towards her, relief washing over him as he realized he actually found her alive.

Elka flinched the moment Law touched her. She was dizzy, and there was pain over her stomach. She didn't seem to recognize it was the Warlord standing before her.

"Elka- _ya_ , calm down. It's me." Law spoke, his tone moderate.

"Maribelle..." Elka mumbled, her eyes opened wide. "Maribelle fell down..." she tried to stand up but failed, prompting her to crawl instead.

Law immediately clasped her arm. "It's dangerous. Don't leave my side."

Elka didn't even spare him a glance. "Maribelle fell down, doctor..." she stated, obsidian eyes staring blankly into space. "She's down there, right?" tears began welling up over her lower eyelids.

"Yes." Law simply answered.

Elka's lips were trembling. She told herself it wasn't the time to grieve. Maribelle was tough, she should be fine. Elka knew she had to leave the area immediately. Recalling how she heard two consecutive explosions meant there must be more. It was a terrorist attack.

Before Elka could even pull herself together, crashing noises reverberated from above. Law quickly responded, lifting Elka over his shoulder and motioning an arm forward, assembling various rubble to make a path for him.

When Law began crossing the path he made, Elka began flailing about. "Put me down! Maribelle is still there!" she shouted.

"There's no time! Stay put, Elka- _ya_!" Law wrapped his arms around Elka's legs to prevent her from falling off his shoulder.

"No! Put me down! I have to help her! _We_ have to help her!" Elka insisted.

"If we go back now, we'll be crushed. Think for a second, will you?"

"Doctor! Use your powers! You can stop the collapse, right? Please make it stop!"

It was true Law could stop the falling object midair but using his ability takes a huge toll on his body. Law was a careful man, and he disliked draining himself needlessly. "I can't." he simply said, tightening his grip over Elka's body.

"NOOOOO!" Elka screamed in anguish; a long, loud, piercing cry of despair and resentment. She watched the ceiling meet the ground, forming a shallow crater upon impact.

Elka just cried, drowning the crashing noises with her tearful melody, burning the image into her memory. On that day, Elka's world was painted in black and white, and she thought, what a tragic day indeed.

=/=

"SURVIVORS!"

Ambulances, fire trucks and the police were already at the shopping center's doorstep when Law emerged from the building. He was quickly assisted by EMS and military personnel alike, gently taking Elka from his arms and assessing the vital signs of them both.

Elka had already fainted by then. With her pulse becoming rapid, she was put on a stretcher and immediately placed inside the ambulance. Law, of course, went with them and he even participated with Elka's management in the vehicle. Explaining he was an actual doctor and showing expertise, convincing the team to allow him to take part in their protocol.

Elka's life looked like in danger. The symptoms she was showing were typical of circulatory shock: pulse was rapid, weak and thready, cool, clammy skin, rapid and shallow breathing. Besides the blood dripping from her head which suggested concussion at the least, there wasn't any serious cuts or wounds that should cause shock, unless it was internal.

Upon lifting her dress, there was hematoma spreading over her midsection. This alarmed Law, he didn't expect internal bleeding. They had to get to the hospital fast or the consequences would be damn high.

Soon they were on the hospital, Elka was immediately brought to the operating room. Emergency surgery took place within minutes after arrival.

Frankly, Law wanted to perform the surgery himself but as a 'victim', he was instructed to patiently wait by the lobby.

 _Like he would._

Trafalgar Law walked around the hospital observing the people around him, from patients to nurses, hospital staffs, janitors and finally finding who he wants: doctors. He needed to be allowed to get inside the operating room so he went ahead and pulled a doctor over into a corner, hitting him unconscious and 'borrowing' his coat. He left the knocked out doctor by the lockers and quickly went back to the operating room.

Before Law could even step inside the room, a nurse met him who told him to wear the prescribed scrubs prior to entering the operating room. It seemed she didn't realize he was a different person by then, but he appreciated the help.

Clad in full green scrubs, green hairnet, green mask and green surgical gloves, Trafalgar Law entered the room and found Elka on the operating table with her stomach already open. It seemed the surgeon was actually doing a pretty good job on managing Elka's internal bleeding - it even looked like he was already about to suture her abdomen close. Law quickly approached them, letting the whole team know of his presence to which they readily welcomed.

"Ah, the new PGI." the surgeon greeted, sparing a quick glance over him. "I was told there were two of you."

Law wondered for a moment but quickly dismissed the issue as how he recalled he 'borrowed' someone's coat for a while. And to think the coat he wore was actually for interns - Law knew he could exploit it.

"How's the patient?" Law simply asked, peeking over the surgeon's shoulder.

"I'm almost done. You missed it." the surgeon replied before asking for a surgical scissor.

"How many blood vessels were torn?"

The surgeon paused for a moment, seemingly surprised. Even the nurses that were present looked just as surprised.

"Three." the surgeon finally answered. "Well, well, young doctor, I didn't expect you to know the case just by seeing the patient's state."

Law only smirked, good thing he was wearing a mask. "Will you allow me to do the suturing, doctor?"

The surgeon looked pleased. "All right, I'll coach you." he let Law move closer to the patient, allowing him to carefully inspect Elka's open abdomen.

Law scanned through the organs and blood vessels and quickly found the three torn vessels the surgeon was referring to. It looked to him that the man was quite skilled, making him breathe in relief. Certain it was all good to close up her midsection, Law began the procedure swiftly and finished flawlessly. The attending surgeon praised him plenty while the nurses admired his prowess. The surgeon explained to him that the patient will have to be confined for a whole week at the least, and that they will have to monitor her platelet count just in case before the whole team cleaned up and left.

As Law waited for the nurse to take Elka to her patient room, he contemplated whether it was worth the shot - performing a surgery without harming her body. Law admittedly utilized his devil fruit powers in a few surgeries he performed back in his world and he wanted to know if it'll work if there was no hostile intention.

 _Room._

Holding a scalpel, the dark doctor sliced into thin air, but Elka's body remained intact. He tried again, but nothing happened. He positioned the scalpel closer to her body and carefully made a vertical cutting motion but the scalpel was repulsed, making Law retract his hand as if he was burned.

"Damn it, Elka- _ya_!" Law groaned in frustration. He sank down on the floor and grabbed his head with both hands in vexation. Although he knew Elka was going to be fine, he considered the possibility of Elka getting in a similar situation but different conditions. If it came to a point where Elka needed a surgical procedure that may equally kill her if done wrong, his ability was the answer to avoid error.

But Elka was still unaffected. She was immune. In fact, it was like she was _rejecting_ him.

Law took a deep breath in an effort to compose himself. He slowly stood on his feet and stroked Elka's black tresses lightly as he watched her peaceful sleep.

"At least let me treat you." Law sighed in exasperation.

* * *

 _ **Note:**_ _PGI = Post-graduate intern; They are still considered as students despite already graduating Medicine. In my country, they are not allowed to take the Medicine licensure exam until they finish their one-year internship as PGI._


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** Yes. I **also** edited this chapter. **A LOT**. There are **major** changes and I apologize for rushing this chapter before. I don't have an excuse. Anyway, thank you and please enjoy._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Eight Sign**_

"Doctor! Excuse me!"

Law just got out of the operating room when a familiar redhead came running towards him. The young lad looked a bit different, wearing a long, tan coat, khaki-colored pants and dark combat boots. Law still hadn't removed his scrubs, mask and hairnet yet so he figured Ross was unable to tell it was him.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl with medium-length dark hair?" Ross asked, gesturing the woman's description he was looking for. "She's wearing a burgundy turtleneck dress and was brought here from the bombing."

"We just finished her operation. She's not in danger anymore." Law simply stated, the mask dulling his voice.

Ross looked relieved, huffing forcefully as he released the breath he was holding. "What a relief. Thank you, good doctor." he bowed his head to show his thanks. "Also, she was with a really tall tan man with dark hair, sideburns and goatee. Have you seen him?"

Law paused for a moment, acting as if he was trying to jog his memory, before deciding it wasn't worth revealing to the lad. "I think I saw someone with the same description by the lobby." he simply told the redhead, curtly excusing himself in the pretense of 'having a lot of patients'. It was true the emergency room was bustling with patients, mostly brought from the bombing site, so Law had a solid alibi.

Ross didn't seem suspicious of him and freely let Law go. Not later, he called out to a nurse that was about to enter the operating room and talked with her instead. Law couldn't make out their words but he figured it was no time lounging about. He had to get out of there and change fast, before he got busted.

=/=

Law successfully remained undiscovered. He left the coat he borrowed on the comfort room and returned to the lobby just as a nurse was looking for him. She informed him that Elka was about to be transferred to a private room and guided him. As they rode the elevator, the nurse also explained that a man named Ross Maris covered Elka's fees and was the one who requested to confine Elka at a private room. Soon they arrived at the place, Elka was given IV fluids after the nurse had taken her vital signs and assessed her current status. She then instructed Law to press the buzzer by Elka's bedside if they ever needed assistance, before excusing herself and finally leaving.

There were a lot going through Law's mind by then. He was intrigued by Ross's profile - he couldn't really rule out if the lad could pose a threat to him, but there was a nagging sensation that kept screaming at him to stay alert whenever the redhead was present. Law didn't fancy surprises, especially those that would bring harm to himself.

Another thing was Elka. He thought protecting the woman would be easy, considering how he'd been able to protect his crew up to then, but what happened that day just made it clear to him how his situation was different. Elka was weak. Horribly weak. Her body wasn't as resilient as his, nor as his crewmates. He was also alone, and he couldn't expect a few bystanders to obey his orders when the situation calls for it. Elka's world was filled with unpleasant surprises, he was unsure if he was truly prepared for such unforeseen events, although he admitted he was thrilled by it. But on top of all of it, Elka was immune to his powers and it limited his options of protecting her - of _saving_ her.

Instead of mulling over his thoughts, Trafalgar Law inspected the whole room, occasionally checking on Elka. He would glance back at the IV fluids and watch her breathe. He found some magazines from one of the drawers on that white table, the colorful pictures easily grabbed his attention. He skimmed through the pages, pausing at one page every other time, but only holding his attention for a meager eight seconds. Not later he found an article that piqued his interest, but didn't finish it as his gaze kept drifting towards the sleeping woman. Law didn't exactly hate waiting, but having nothing to do was extremely boring to him. He didn't mind the silence, but it encouraged his thoughts to worsen at every second. Law considered going outside and explore by himself, but he couldn't settle at the thought of leaving Elka by herself, especially in her most vulnerable state.

Later, Law found a suspicious remote control sitting inside the other drawer. Curious, he pressed the big red button at its left topmost corner with a label 'on/off'.

"WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU BREAKING NEWS."

Law was startled by the sound of the television hanging at the wall right across Elka's bed. It wasn't really loud, only the silence of the room made it sound like it was louder. It was airing the recent bombing that day and Law decided to watch and listen.

"A bomb ripped through a moviehouse in the country's super-regional center this afternoon. There have been 23 confirmed deaths, 30 had already been taken to hospital while the wounded are already at 60 and counting. Some victims were claimed missing, and the police have yet to finish their investigation of the scene. En City police commander Dan Elmer Paige said the bomb, which he described as 'an improvised explosive device', ripped a huge part of the mall's ceiling and-"

Law switched off the television, deciding he heard enough. He turned his head and stared at Elka who was still sleeping soundly despite the previous noise of the news. Law walked over to her bedside and lightly poked at her cheeks, half-heartedly wanting her to stir and wake up. Law was growing impatient, and although he didn't want to admit it, for some reason he wanted to hear Elka's voice.

=/=

The night has been growing deeper after the nurse had already revisited Elka twice, the first time was to check her IV fluids and extract blood for testing, the second time was to actually change her IV fluids and reassure Law that the gal was actually having good progress despite remaining unconscious.

Law was staring outside through the glass window for a good while since. They were at a height where a person would be able to see from afar the buildings, vehicles and people looking so small, filling the streets like ants in a colony. He marveled at the city lights that kept the streets bright and busy. It gave him the impression of how Elka's world was 'insomniac'.

Law told himself he needed to rest. He pulled the curtains to cover the windows, dulling the bright lights from outside. He turned off the lights in the room and sat over the couch to take a quick nap. But before he could even close his eyes, he heard the door slightly creak open. Deciding to wait and see, Law didn't move. He darted his eyes towards the door without turning his head, squinting as the door opened wider.

The stranger stepped into the room and gently closed the door behind him. He didn't even bother to make himself known nor did he switch the lights on. He took a step and another, intent to reach Elka's bedside, but immediately stopped in his tracks when he felt a tall hostile presence beside him. His eyes snapped wide open when he recognized a sharp blade pointed directly at his right eye. He knew by then blinking would mean losing an eye.

"Care to give me a proper greeting?" Law spoke in a low, baritone voice that left his opponent ever so slightly unsettled.

"Mister Law." the man replied, his tone quiet. "It's me. Ross." he carefully spoke, his body steady.

Law did not withdraw his weapon. "Why are you here?"

"To visit Elka." Ross answered in a matter-of-factly way. "I understand you're angry because I didn't greet you. I thought you were asleep."

Law observed Ross, and was ever intrigued by the young lad's quick recovery. The redhead was shocked upon recognizing the blade that was aimed towards him, but instantly calmed down when Law stopped an inch away from his eye. Ross didn't even move. He didn't make any attempt to back away or retreat. He just stood there, staring at the blade which could take his right eye with one wrong move.

"I didn't want to wake you or Elka." Ross continued to speak. "It's a rude thing to do."

Law was quiet for a moment, focusing his eyes on the young lad who seemed nonchalant yet he could sense his vigilance. "Who are you?"

"Haven't Elka told you already?" the lad simply breathed, glancing at the man. "I'm a _friend_."

It was an obvious taunt, and Law took it, prompting him to drive his stealth knife through the lad's eye only to miss. As if Ross expected it, he quickly responded. He ducked and lunged at Law, aiming to seize his throat.

The two were frozen at that point. Law smirked, amused by the lad's swift movements. It seemed to him Ross was highly experienced in combat. The lad exhibited confidence and precision in his movements. Meanwhile, Ross was glaring at the man. The tip of his gloved finger had reached Law's throat, but he felt the cool steel against the skin on his nape. He can feel its sharp tip, ready to bore through the back of his neck.

"I'm the one who should be asking you questions, mister Law." Ross hissed low. "Are you really related to Elka? I wonder."

"That's what she said." Law flatly answered.

"Yesterday, Elka suddenly asked me a favor. She didn't even sound as confident." Ross pointedly looked at Law. "You suddenly barged into her life and Elka willingly covered for you."

"So you were suspicious of me. Why didn't you act immediately?" Law asked, genuinely curious.

"Elka _willingly_ covered for you." Ross spoke bitterly. "I believe and respect Elka's decisions. She wanted me to believe you are her cousin, so I acted accordingly."

"You're spoiling her."

"I don't want to upset her." Ross bent his head down and stepped back in retreat. He gave Law a knowing look and spoke in a dangerously quiet tone, "But in the case you cause her harm, I _will_ eliminate you."

Law smirked. He recalled how the lad readily went to Elka's room yesterday night. "So that's why you wanted to meet me immediately."

"Frankly, I'm grateful that you kept Elka safe in yesterday's robbery act." Ross spoke in monotone. "I didn't expect Elka to get caught in there. I didn't even know she was out with you." fastening his gloves, he proceeded to Elka's bedside. "And today too. You saved her and I'm grateful to find her alive." Ross reached a hand for Elka but halted inches away from contact. He then withdrew his hand and settled with just watching her sleeping face before glaring back at Law. "However, I figured, if you didn't come into Elka's life and took her outside, she wouldn't have gotten involved in those tragedies."

"In short, you think I intentionally placed her in danger?" Law pointedly asked.

"I don't think. I _know_."

It was fast. Ross rushed Law and aimed for the man's throat. Malice emanated from the young lad's eyes, judgment and accusation burning them into a sinister shade of blue. Law was just as swift, dodging the attack and readily thrust the knife towards the lad's face. A smirk plastered on his face, reveling at the redhead's murderous intent. It had been a while since he felt exhilarated by an opponent, and he welcomed Ross's challenge.

Almost instantly, Ross sidestepped and delivered a strike at the side of Law's neck. It was clear he wanted to end the fight swiftly, and he knew the most vulnerable point in a human's neck. Law saw through it and jumped back to gain distance. He eyed the redhead warily as his grip tightened over his knife's hilt. Law knew if they continued, he might have no other choice but to kill Ross.

"You know how to fight." Law stated, almost sounding like a question.

Ross fastened his gloves. "If I didn't, how will I eliminate you?" it was a habit of his - fixing his gloves in place whenever he's in battle. There were even times when he would opt to grip his hand when he found himself not wearing gloves.

"You're impatient to want to eliminate me now." Law sneered, clearly baiting the redhead.

Ross glared sharply at him. "I _am_ impatient." he huffed in exasperation. "But I admit, you're no ordinary opponent. I don't want Elka to get hurt in the heat of our fight, nor do I want to catch unwanted attention either." Ross's glare softened, a smile easily replacing his scowl. "So instead, let me interrogate you, mister Law."

Law smiled. "I am always amused by your excellent guise, rogue- _ya_."

Ross blinked. "Rogue? Is that what you call me now?" he let out a brief chuckle. "You're funny, mister Law. Me, a rogue?"

Law remained quiet. He didn't really want to stretch the issue further, as he figured he himself was playing the same game as Ross.

"Look here, _Law_ , you're the one shrouded in mystery." Ross's face was serious. "Between the two of us, _you_ are the rogue."

Silence took over. The two stared at each other for a while, both holding calculating gazes against each other, suspicious of the other. The atmosphere grew heavy as the two seemed to begin a battle of anticipation, but both remained steady and unmoving.

"Questions." Ross decided to break his silence. "I will ask you questions, and I expect answers."

Law raised a brow at the lad's statement. He thought there was something missing. "You expect me to answer?"

"Be glad, I won't force you to answer me honestly." Ross smirked. "It's also fine if you don't tell me anything."

"I do have questions for you myself." Law smugly returned the lad's smirk. "I will do my best to stay honest with you and I expect you to return the favor."

Ross seemed pleased by Law's declaration and solemnly assented to Law's proposition.

"Who are you?" Ross began.

Law paused for a moment, contemplating how he should answer the question. He didn't know if he would get the same agreeable reaction he got from Elka, but he wanted to get the redhead honest with him. So he looked at Ross intently and firmly stated his name, "Trafalgar Law."

Ross seemed unfazed by the mention of his name but the redhead kept quiet. Seconds later, Ross asked, "And? Are you really related to Elka?"

 _Ah, so that's what was bothering him_. Law thought. He sighed and flatly answered, "No."

Ross hummed. "Elka lied, huh?" he mumbled to himself.

Law heard him. "Didn't you already know?"

"I was only guessing." Ross quickly answered. "I never really expected Elka to lie."

"So you trust her that much."

"I don't trust her, I _believe_ her." Ross clarified. "Although I guess they are synonymous."

Law wondered. "Why do you believe her? Everyone has secrets. You have them yourself."

Ross looked at him. "I believe her because I _want_ to believe her." he then shrugged his shoulders and continued, "So, if you're not related to Elka, what are you to her?"

"Good question." Law himself didn't exactly know why Elka was keeping and helping him, although he guessed it was due to her fear of him. "Frankly, my situation is complicated at the moment and I asked her for help."

Ross raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You're asking for help? Help for what?"

"I'm trying to find my way back to-" Law paused. He didn't know if Ross would readily believe him if he just said 'back to my world'. He recalled Elka's world, people won't believe him, not in the slightest chance unless he showed them proof. But what proof? His ability?

"Back to what? Your home?" Ross impatiently asked. Law didn't realize how long he had been quiet, and Ross's impatience didn't give him any room to fix his thoughts. "Regardless of the place, if that's the case, why didn't Elka ask me? Where are you from anyway?"

"That's the problem. I'm not from here." Law firmly stated. "Elka- _ya_ decided no one would believe me except for her, that's probably why she didn't ask you."

Ross frowned. It was probably the first time he genuinely looked upset. "Elka is precious to me and I don't like it when she's upset or afraid. However far-fetched her claims may be, I will always believe her." Ross paused for a moment and glanced at Elka, his blue eyes guileless. "I will always do what she wants done. I had hoped she knows that."

"Do you like Elka- _ya_?" Law was fairly intrigued. Although he didn't look it, Ross had a huge and solid bloodlust - the likes one would never expect from a jejune-looking guy such as Ross - and that same aura exudes when the redhead feels extreme displeasure regarding Elka's distress.

"Does it matter to you? You two aren't related." Ross narrowed his eyes on Law. "Unless you have your eyes on Elka."

"And if I do?" Law scoffed.

"Then that's just another reason for me to eliminate you." Ross's tone was deadly quiet.

The air grew tense under the heat of their stares. Blue orbs, grey orbs, glinting in the dimness of the room, flashing angrily, almost tempting the other to battle. It was as if their spirits clashed, and the fight had been going on for quite a while. The two were made aware of the competition that had been silently declared, and none of them had plans of surrendering to the other.

The stagnant air was easily disrupted when Ross abruptly closed in on Law, an elbow threatening to hit his face. Ross was determined to knock the man out. Law blocked the blow with an arm and immediately countered, delivering a fast jab to Ross's face. He didn't really expect the lad to go down with just that but he was more shocked when he found Ross smirking at him. The young lad didn't completely avoid his blade, leaving his freckled cheek marked with fresh scarlet.

Ross grabbed Law's wrist and twisted it, making the Warlord drop the knife. Alarmed, Law coated his free hand with _haki_ and punched Ross in the face. Although Ross was quick to respond and managed to dodge full contact, he was knocked on the floor dizzy with his nose bleeding.

"You're quick. I'll give you that." Law remarked, picking up his weapon. "But you're not sturdy enough to withstand my armament."

Ross could only glare at the Warlord. He sat up but decided not to force himself to stand yet. He was still feeling lightheaded and he wondered how he got so much damage despite only getting grazed by Law's fist.

Not later, the door opened and the lights were switched on. The two were startled just as much as the two visitors who entered the room and saw them. The nurse almost yelped when she saw Law holding a bloodied knife. The doctor turned to his heels to call for security.

"Hold it, doctor! I'm Ross Maris!" Ross announced, quickly standing up. "This is Law, Elka's cousin." he gestured at the Warlord who in turn covered the knife with its comb counterpart. "We were just checking up on Elka." Ross explained.

The nurse immediately recognized Ross and told the doctor they were telling the truth. The doctor was obviously suspicious especially seeing Ross's cheek and nose bleeding, regardless, he heeded the young lad's request and dismissed the issue.

Elka stirred awake when the doctor proceeded to check on her physical assessment. Elka noticed Law and Ross's presence but didn't say anything. Later, the doctor offered to mend Ross's scratches. Afterwards, Ross silently sat down on a couch, pinching his nose to stop the bleeding while Law sat across him.

When the two health workers left them, silence took over. Elka sat up on her bed and looked at Law and Ross respectively. She studied their faces, their expressions. Elka didn't know what to make out of it.

"Ross, what happened to you?" she finally asked.

Ross glanced at Elka, thinking whether he should lie to her or not. He swore to never lie to her, no, not to Elka, but he saw how Law just shut his eyes in resignation, implying he was prepared to take the blame. Ross didn't like how the man was prepared for it so he reluctantly said, "I got punished."

Law's eyes snapped open when he heard the lad. He stared at him in surprise.

Elka, on the other hand, frowned in worry. "Is it about today's incident?" she knew Ross was in the army, and although she hadn't heard a lot about Ross's position and superiors, she assumed it was a tough job.

"My fault. I recklessly ran my mouth." Ross smiled. "But don't worry. Nothing serious."

Elka could only sigh in response. "Anyway, what time is it?"

Ross glanced at his wristwatch. "Past ten in the evening."

"You should get some rest, Ross."

"I can't. I have to pull an all-nighter today." Ross said, glancing at Law. "Honestly, I'm given a pile of work and I'd like to finish it as soon as possible."

"Ross, about today-"

"Don't think about it, Elka." Ross interjected, not letting Elka finish her sentence. He released his nose when he realized the bleeding had stopped and stood up from the couch. "You just focus on recovering and getting well."

"Did mistress Glenn know?"

"It's all over the news now, and yes, mama kind of already know."

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble-"

"Nope. Don't say sorry." Ross approached her. "I just want you to rest and get well." Ross was about to caress her cheek when he halted and asked, "Elka, may I touch you?"

Elka chuckled. "Why do you always ask?" she smiled kindly at him. "I always told you it's okay, remember?"

Ross removed the glove from his left hand and lightly touched Elka's cheek. Elka noted how his hand was trembling - it always does. She always wondered why Ross seemed nervous when he touches her but she never asked because she didn't want the lad to feel more nervous and awkward around her. Most of the time, they converse normally, but whenever they begin warming up to each other, Ross would become nervous - Elka found it eccentric of the guy but in the end, she didn't mind at all. Getting used to it, she thought it was one of his charms.

Not later, Ross excused himself. He left Elka his extra cellphone with a newly bought sim card inserted in it since she lost hers from that afternoon's incident. Ross insisted he'd like to be updated with Elka's recovery, saying he couldn't promise to visit her as frequently due to his job.

Law quietly watched their exchange in the background until Ross finally left the two of them. Law received a menacing glare from the young lad before mouthing the words 'keep her safe'. Ross seemed to at least trust him to an extent that he was leaving Elka, his most precious, to him, a complete stranger. On that note, Ross also delivered the message in a, well, menacing way. Law didn't even know how to interpret it, but Law confessed meeting Ross kept him interested with Elka's world and he actually thought it wouldn't be so bad to stay for a bit longer.

There was a pregnant pause when the door shut close. Elka felt weak and weary, and painfully sad yet she couldn't cry out. She just stared at Law who equally returned her gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Law spoke, breaking the silence.

Elka slowly smiled, her eyes mournful. "Which are you referring to, my physical condition or my emotional state?"

Law was quiet for a moment before flatly saying, "Your physical condition."

Elka looked hurt upon hearing the Warlord's response. Nonetheless, she answered, "I'm good. I'm feeling fine."

"No pain over your abdomen?"

"None, doctor."

"How about your chest?"

"I don't think I broke any ribs."

Silence.

Law was unsure whether it was okay to pry into her feelings at the moment. He was certain their ideologies would clash faster than a speeding bullet. Law favored silence - he would almost always choose to stay quiet and say nothing to save the others from his blunt remarks. He was aware how his words always stung other people's feelings, but it didn't stop him from stating factual things.

Elka, on the other hand, just silently mulled over her conflicted emotions. She was happy to be alive and it disappointed her. She couldn't even shed tears for her dear friends. Not just that, she was selfish to only think about herself - she was grateful to wake up. What about the other civilians? They have family and friends as well. Why can't she feel sympathy over their tragic death? Why can't she feel empathy over the friends and families left?

"Doctor..." Elka weakly spoke.

Law flinched when he heard the woman's frail voice. "...What is it?"

"Is it bad that..I feel relieved?" Elka reluctantly asked, her hands gripping the sheets tighter as she struggled to control her emotions.

Law didn't speak, he didn't know what to say after all.

"Is it bad that..I'm happy for surviving?" Elka loosened up her hands and looked at them. "I'm alive after all, it's okay to rejoice, right?"

Law was hesitant but spoke anyway, "...Yes. It's normal to want to live. That's human nature, Elka- _ya_."

Elka gave a short sardonic laugh. "...I see." she sounded skeptical yet she looked like she was convinced. "It's only human, huh?"

Law could hardly understand what was going through her mind. Elka had been the righteous type and she harbored idealistic concepts. Law figured Elka was about to break, but he didn't know what to do about it.

"I wonder why all these bad things keep happening to me." Elka continued. She looked at Law and told him bitterly, "I wonder what I did to deserve this."

Law thought for a moment. He wanted to say something to somehow soothe the woman yet he couldn't come up with anything. Elka looked at him as if she was desperately asking for help, but no matter how badly he wanted to help her there was nothing. Nothing at all.

"Why did you save me?" Elka shut her eyes in anguish. "If you were going to save me, why not just stop that ceiling? Why not just cut it into pieces?"

"Elka-"

"Maribelle and Daniel!" she suddenly yelled, her eyes flying open in anger. "I wanted to save them! We could have saved them! I want them to live! I want them alive!" she glared at Law. "Why didn't you save them?! You can fucking stop and destroy that damn ceiling, doctor! Why didn't you?!"

"Because there's only you." Law's voice was ice cold. "I'm a criminal, remember? Not a hero."

"I never asked you to become a hero! I only wanted you to-"

"You expect me to save your people?" Law incredulously asked, interrupting her. "I'm astounded by your naivety."

"Yeah, right! I am naive because I'm human!" Elka snarled. "Of course there will be times when your gut would tell you to save someone!"

"You're no hero, Elka- _ya_." Law glared at her. "You're powerless, you're practically useless - you're even weaker than a dog and you expect _me_ to obey you? You're not suited to have such audacious thoughts."

"Then you shouldn't have saved me! You should have just abandoned me if that's what you think!"

"Of course I would have done that if that was the case." Law bluntly replied. "If I didn't need you, that is."

"Why?" Elka sounded so heartbroken. She was sobbing by then. "Just..why are you even here? What are you here for, doctor? Why?"

Law wanted to know the answer to that question more than anyone. He was clueless, and that was the worst part. He had no choice but to keep Elka alive in hopes of finding his way back to his own world. Although he really didn't have to care so much about her, Law couldn't help but feel a pang of pain as he watched Elka weep.

Elka was blaming herself for all the events that took place. She couldn't blame Law, after all, he saved her. She thought, it was all on her. She was the one causing all those misfortunes. As a matter of fact, Elka even knew she was the reason behind Law's situation. She didn't really believe it but she was already considering it - _wish fulfillment_.

Elka bit her lower lip hard enough that it bled. She clearly remembered what she did the day before Law met her. She couldn't even believe it herself. It was just a fantasy. It was not real. She just tried it just for the heck of it but then, Law actually came to be real.

Elka flinched when she felt a warm touch against her cheek.

"What are you thinking?" Law asked, brushing his thumb over Elka's lower lip. "You bit your lip."

"Doctor, do you remember what I told you back at the cafe?" Elka muttered weakly, gently pushing Law's hand away from her face.

"Yes. What of it?"

"I missed to tell you one thing. There is this dumb myth in our world." Elka stated, gently wiping away the tears from her face. "The first star that appears in the sky after dark will grant you any wish."

Law frowned. He didn't believe such things. "You're not saying-"

"I'm saying I made that shitty wish." Elka quickly said, cutting Law's sentence. "I don't believe it myself, okay? I was just feeling so elated that day and thought, fuck it let's do it it doesn't work anyway, yet here you are now."

"You're not serious."

"I'm serious!" Elka's voice slightly raised. "If that wasn't the case, I don't know what is! I myself don't believe in it! That myth had been around even before I was born and I've had lots of wishes before!"

Law looked so shocked he didn't even know what to make out of it. He was just speechless. He couldn't believe such a dumb legend pulled him from his world.

"I'm not saying it truly is how you got here! I just thought it might be possible."

"That is one cruel joke, Elka- _ya_."

Elka looked down, her hands curling into fists. "It _is_ a cruel joke." she muttered, her lips trembling. "Do you know there's a catch?"

Law narrowed his eyes on the woman. Seeing how she was quivering made him curious. "Let me hear it."

"This folklore is applicable to shooting stars and the first star I happened to see that night was a shooting star." Elka looked intently at Law. "When the star falls on your right, it's accompanied by good fortune. If it fell on your left, then it indicates misfortune."

"So it fell on your left, huh?" Law concluded. "I still don't buy it."

"I also don't believe it, really, but you're here, doctor." Elka sighed. "I...I'm putting everyone in danger. I want to return you to your world but I don't know how."

"Then try wishing on a star again." Law spoke in a derisive tone.

Elka slapped her face with both palms. "I... I can try but I don't know. If that's not the reason why you're here and why these misfortunes keep happening to me, then I don't know what to think about."

"Well, I have something to show you, Elka- _ya_." Law stood up from the couch.

Elka raised her head and looked at him. "Yeah? What is it?"

Law stretched his arm forward, a light blue aura spinning below his palm. " _Room_." his spherical territory quickly expanded but he only made it big enough to cover him and Elka.

Elka looked confused. She didn't understand what Law was trying to accomplish. "You..want to show me your powers?" she innocently inquired.

Law stared at her for a moment before looking over his palm. "Will you..allow me to take your heart, Elka- _ya_?"

"Excuse me?" Elka sort of knew what Law was trying to say but she still couldn't understand. She was confused. She didn't know what reason would the Warlord have to take her heart.

Law planted his feet firmly on the floor and took the stance, swiftly thrusting his open palm against Elka's chest.

" _Mes_."

"No!" Elka yelled pleadingly, putting her arms in front of her in a manner of blocking an attack. "No! Please don't-"

There was a strong repelling force that warded off Law's hand. It was so strong it almost swept him off his feet if he didn't recoil back in time. Raging wind and flashes of electricity formed a ring over Elka's whole being. It looked as if a mini tornado surrounding the woman. It was the first time Law ever saw it.

Elka herself was shocked. She didn't know what to do when she saw the storm-like thing confining her. When she built up the courage and tried touching it with her hands, it just vanished into thin air like nothing really happened.

"I've been..trying to use my devil fruit ability on you but it seems you have the power to repulse it." Law retracted his room and sighed. "Have you never wondered why I didn't switch you out with anything before whenever you're in danger?"

Elka just stared at him blankly, her mouth left agape in both shock and disbelief. She didn't know what to make out of it. She was oblivious, she never knew, it never even hit her, how easy it would be for Law when she was taken hostage to just switch her with anything he held for that matter.

From Elka's reaction, Law figured the gal was innocent. It was obvious she didn't know, of course, he kept it secret until now. Still, he somehow hoped Elka had some sort of explanation for him regarding that little issue he had with her. Otherwise, he didn't know what else could lead him back to his world.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Yup. I realized I never got the chance to address this particular mystery so now I am addressing it. I'll get back to Ross once I've settled how I'd reveal everything. Anyway, again, my apologies for rushing things. I don't even know why I did such an embarrassing, shitty thing for an author, ya know. Well. I suck._


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:** Hey there! If you hadn't known yet, I actually **edited/revised chapters 7 & 8** yesterday ( **10/19/16** ) I think, because I'm just that kind of **shitty author**. There were **major changes** , really, and I'm so sorry about that, my drafts were all over the place but meh, I don't have any real excuse. Anyway, please enjoy. Thank you very much._

 _ **Important:** I would just like to remind everyone, even with the degree of realism in this story, this is still **a work of fiction and may contain distorted facts**. To be honest, I think I was already just making up a few tidbits since, I don't know, chapter 8? Anyway, just keep that in mind folks. **Enjoy**._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Ninth Sign**_

Ross proceeded with determined, gray footsteps as he entered the Special Forces Headquarters. As soon as he was inside, he began unbuttoning his coat, ultimately removing it to reveal his military uniform dyed in khaki green hue, donned with golden buttons and a golden rope hanging from his right shoulder to his chest, two silver diamonds glinting over both epaulettes on his shoulders.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant!" both men clad in deep green military uniform saluted when they met through the hallways.

Ross only waved a hand. "There was another meeting?"

"Yes. The Major General wants to see you. He's at the meeting room, Lieutenant." one answered.

Ross nodded, quickening his pace. He knew he was late, the meeting probably ended already, otherwise, those men wouldn't have told him who wanted to see him specifically. Ross grumbled to himself as he recalled what transpired back at the hospital. He didn't expect Law to be as capable in combat as him. He touched the bandage that was stuck on his cheek, scrunching up his face in disgust as he recalled how he was almost knocked out with one measly punch. Being unable to get even with the man displeased him. Ross admitted to himself how he hated to lose - how he hated Law.

Soon he was standing in front of the door leading to the room where he had spoke out his opinions, shared his ideas and laid down his tactical methods relating to various military operations. Ross easily climbed the ranks thanks to his excellent record, good connections and ultimately, his genius; and that, of course, accompanied a few gossips here and there as being an officer at such a young age of 23 was just too much of a jump as majority believed. Nevertheless, Ross wasn't one to brag about his achievements, after all, he didn't care as long as his goal was met.

Upon entering the room, Ross found only one man inside, clad in a darker khaki hue military uniform; two silver stars glistening over his epaulettes.

"Where have you been, Ross?" the man asked in an assertive voice. Major General Yomiel was a fair, tall man with a solid body. He sported a low-cut dark hair and a pair of sharp obsidian eyes. "You missed the meeting."

Ross saluted at the man. "My apologies, Major General. I had an errand to run."

Yomiel looked pointedly at Ross, his eyes narrowing at the bandage on his cheek. "And what kind of errand was it?"

Ross understood what the man meant. "This is just a scratch. I got this from a tree branch. I never even noticed." he spoke in monotone.

Yomiel figured the lad was lying, nonetheless, he wasn't too interested anyway so he didn't dwell on it. "This is the first time you didn't attend a meeting. It's going to hurt your record."

"I already heard from Jack." Ross bluntly replied, completely ignoring his superior's remark. "The bomb threat... Our idiotic governor paid no heed on it."

Yomiel frowned. "Now, now, Ross, don't go spouting..offensive labels."

Ross smirked. "And his son got caught in that bombing."

"Ross." Yomiel's tone sounded cautionary. "I am _your_ superior. Even if I have high regards for your father, if you keep this up you're going to be in trouble."

"I'm only stating facts, Major General." Ross kept a straight face. "Besides, it was _his_ fault to begin with. To think he already had the letter _two days before_ the day of bombing-"

"There's nothing we can do about it. The governor ignored it." Yomiel interjected, sighing. He pulled up a chair and took a seat. "Understandable. Terrorist attacks have stopped since the implementation of the counter-terrorism strategy you raised three years ago."

"It can't keep the peace forever." Ross replied. "It's been three years. Belligerents are bound to bypass our security, especially if those in power become stagnant and negligent."

"I agree." Yomiel grabbed the topmost paper from the stack that was sitting above the table. "I received the report from police commander Paige." he looked intently at Ross. "Trinitrotoluene. It was the main charge."

Ross felt his eyes widen at the mention of the chemical substance. "But that shouldn't be-"

"They're not available, yes."

"Unless there's a rat among our ranks." Ross quickly added, making Yomiel smirk.

"It's amusing how you always jump to the worse conclusion, my dear boy, but look." the Major General got up and approached the young man, handing him the paper he was holding.

Ross took it and read the paper. There were three columns - two of them was a list of gasoline purchases around the country from two days ago up to present, and the other was a list of chemical production from a number of pharmaceutical companies.

"You're a genius, Ross, I'm sure you understand what this means."

Ross smiled, understanding clear on his face. "Well, they're getting smarter all right. Have they traced this?" Ross returned the paper.

Yomiel shook his head. " _Yet_. Jack's on it. Once we receive intel, we're going to plan things out. The governor doesn't wish for military intervention, if possible."

"I'll make preparations." Ross simply replied, excusing himself as he turned to his heel, but was immediately halted when Yomiel grabbed him by his shoulder.

"Hold on." Yomiel looked at Ross as if he was searching for something. "Didn't you hear me? If it can be helped, the military will _not_ make a move."

Ross chuckled lightly. "I wasn't going to do anything, sir, I'm just a Lieutenant. I shall get back to my paperwork."

Yomiel frowned. "I know what you're capable of. You're loved and respected by your men. Don't do anything that may stain your record, Ross."

Ross smiled and nodded, shrugging off his shoulders as he turned away from the man.

"I heard a friend of yours was caught in the bombing." Yomiel said, making Ross flinch. "Is this friend of yours the 'errand' you were talking about?"

Ross didn't look at his superior, remaining quiet and motionless.

Yomiel understood the lad's distress. He figured the 'friend' of his must be very dear to him. "I'm sorry for what happened to your friend. I understand you're angry."

"I _am_ angry." Ross said, gritting his teeth, his hands curling into fists. "That stupid governor never even thought about the gravity of the content the letter conveyed. And now that the tragedy has taken place, he's still a docile man wanting the military to stay put."

"Even the government agreed, Ross. The military will not make a move unless the police asks for our assistance." Yomiel explained, lightly squeezing the man's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "We'll have to abide. We can't just go to war and kill them senseless."

Ross was quiet for a moment before placing a hand over Yomiel's. He gently removed it, turning around to face the man. "But Major General Yomiel, they're criminals. They killed civilians, people - a lot of them. You can't be lecturing me about morals when I'm trained to kill."

"You weren't trained to kill. You're trained to defend and protect yourself and the people around you." Yomiel firmly stated.

"I think you're mistaken, _teacher_." Ross gave him a knowing look and coldly stated, "I _am_ trained to _kill_ criminals, because if man doesn't live righteously, he shouldn't live at all."

=/=

"What do you think, Elka- _ya_?" Law sat by Elka's bedside, watching her shocked expression gradually morph into realization.

"So..I'm... I'm not affected by your ability?" Elka asked, intrigued. "I'm immune?"

"That's right. The first time I saw you, I immediately tried to cut you using my devil fruit power, but it didn't work." Law simply stated, holding his hands together. "I didn't want you to know because I thought you might try to hold it against me."

"As if!" Elka exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise and disbelief darting towards Law. "You know full well that I cannot stand against you. What made you think I have the capability to hold that fact against you?"

Law remained quiet. He had enough reason to be alarmed as it wasn't just his powers she was immune from but also his _haki_. Law decided it was safer to let her remain ignorant about the latter, as he disliked putting himself in a tight situation. Law didn't want to give Elka any bright ideas.

"Still, I don't understand why I'm immune when other people and even the surroundings are affected by your ability." Elka wondered aloud. "I just don't get it. Is it somehow connected to why you're here?"

"And probably connected to how I'm supposed to leave." Law added. "I suppose you can't hypothesize its meaning right now, nevertheless, I would like you to keep it in mind and tell me, however little it is, your insight regarding this."

"Honestly, it's confusing." Elka looked at Law. "When you first demonstrated your power to me, I figured your existence was accepted by my world as reality. This is a blatant contradiction. I can't be the one who's fiction."

" _Fiction_?" Law hated the sound of it - of fiction, that is. "Why do we keep getting back to that fiction nonfiction point? I _am_ real. I exist. How many times do I have to say it to convince you?"

"No, I mean, yes, I know you're real, it's just...it doesn't make sense." Elka looked and sounded so confused. She tried to think carefully, tying suspicious fragments of her memory together carefully in an attempt to form a solid theory but it just didn't connect. If it was truly wish fulfillment, she couldn't remember when she asked to be immune against Law's abilities - she never even considered wishing it. If it wasn't, then it has to do something with dimension or parallel world travels, but she didn't understand how it was connected to her immunity.

"Doctor, do you think I'm the door?" Elka finally said, seemingly out of ideas.

Law raised an eyebrow. "Door? You mean you're the portal for me to get back?"

"Yes." Elka faintly nodded, but she looked hesitant. "Probably."

"I thought about that possibility, but I still don't know how you're supposed to work." Law looked dejected. "I figured I might find the answer once my ability worked on you, but after what happened earlier I suppose your immunity just got stronger."

Elka looked down and pondered a few points in her head. She didn't understand how she was immune, but she found it intriguing the way that strange force forcefully pushed Law back. Making up her mind, she asked Law to use his powers against her once more.

Law sighed. "And what would that accomplish? You saw it with your own eyes, I couldn't even touch you."

"That's because I genuinely hated the idea. I was _scared_ of you." Elka simply explained. "But this time, I'll do my best to _not_ get scared." she announced, determination apparent from her tone. "I'll accept it. I'll allow you to take my heart, doctor."

Law looked reluctant but he convinced himself it was worth the shot. At the back of his mind, something told him it still wouldn't work. He somehow knew there was more to it than just Elka's consent, nonetheless, he wasn't going to lose anything in pursuing the woman's postulation so he decided, to hell with it.

 _Room._

Law hesitated before taking a stance. He stared at Elka for a moment, taking in her image. She was looking straight at him, acknowledging his existence, yet he felt as if the woman was trying to look past him. Law tried to shake the unsettling feeling he got from the thought, he didn't even want to think about it either, immediately thrusting his palm forward.

As he was about to reach Elka's chest, before he could even mutter the name of his technique, a sudden repelling force burst from Elka, launching him through the couch before his back met with the curtained glass window. Law's room instantly vanished as he fell on his bottom.

"Oh no, doctor!" Elka called out in panic. She didn't understand what just happened. It was such a shock to her to witness a person sent flying in reality. "What happened?!"

Law brought a hand over his nape, gently rubbing the area in comfort. He shook his head and patted his back for a moment before getting up on his feet. "You sent me flying, that's what." Law stated, almost sarcastic.

Elka looked at him apologetically. She looked so guilty she was tearing up. "I'm sorry, I don't know how it happened. I don't even know why. I was already prepared to see my heart flying off my chest." Elka muttered weakly, choking up the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

Law sighed, picking up the couch that was knocked down due to his 'flight'. "I knew it won't work but I didn't expect _that_." he then got seated on said couch. "I wish I knew why you kept repelling my power, and _how_ , for that matter."

Elka stared at Law, almost as if there was something she wanted to say. She contemplated for a while, it seemed she already knew the answer to Law's question but even so, she figured it was hard to address. Elka argued with herself, telling herself that she needed to let Law know what she thinks - Law needed to know why and how she kept 'rejecting' his powers. It was because she still thinks that he was fiction, that he was not real.

Elka opened her mouth but no words came out. It was no use letting Law know, she had to do something about it herself.

But she couldn't.

She pursed her lips and averted her gaze, making Law wonder and prompted him to ask, "What's on your mind, Elka- _ya_?"

Elka remained quiet. She glanced at Law but quickly swiveled her gaze away from the man. Not later, Law was beside her, his hand resting over her arm. His touch was warm, and it felt so surreal to her. Elka forced herself to look at the Warlord, instantly finding his grey eyes fascinating up close. He looked genuinely worried, making her blush at the thought. Elka convinced herself she believes Law was real in her heart, otherwise the man shouldn't be able to touch her if her theory was correct. And above it all, she shouldn't be feeling anything for him. But for some reason, when that last attempt of Law failed, Elka heard a voice:

 _He's fiction._

It shattered her thoughts and crumbled her faith, and through that crack the light seeped in, driving away the man she tried so hard to acknowledge. Before she knew it, Law was already sent flying by a violent force. By then she wasn't so surprised, it was as if she understood what that invisible force was.

 _Rejection._

Elka swallowed her spit as she collected her thoughts and gathered the courage to speak up. She couldn't bear seeing Trafalgar Law, a proud pirate with strong determination and a grand dream, clueless and helpless. She admired Law for his power, for his strong belief in fate - for his will to move forward no matter what it takes. It was inspirational to her, and it pained her to see the man she admired so much in such state. She needed to help him get out of her world. She had to help him return to his rightful place, where he could continue his journey, pursue his dreams, accomplish his goals and above it all, live.

Elka valued the meaning of 'live'. It wasn't just a simple word that meant 'keep breathing', it wasn't just a word related to 'life'. It was more than that, deeper than just staying alive, and she knew Law couldn't live if he was stuck in her world.

"Doctor, I apologize beforehand but I think I know why I'm immune to your powers. And how." Elka finally spoke, her tone firm. She looked intently at the man and continued, "Just listen." Elka took a deep breath. "I..am rejecting you. I am rejecting your powers, your identity, your existence, everything about you. I know it sounds weird and it's probably contradictory to how I act in front of you but deep inside, I keep telling myself you're not real."

Law frowned. "Again with this fiction nonfiction of yours."

Elka grabbed Law's hand with both of hers, squeezing it a bit as she tried to continue. "Listen to me, doctor. It's not just that. I know I wished you were real, and I'm happy I got my wish and that you're here but I think I'm actually trying to keep you here. I was instinctively rejecting your existence to keep myself sane but in the end, I just don't want you to leave."

Law was still confused. He sort of understood but it just didn't make sense to him. Elka was telling him everything, it was a strong proof that she was already acknowledging his existence, that she was already accepting the reality right before her eyes. It seemed clear to him already, yet it was still somehow fuzzy.

"Wait, so you're saying, you _are_ keeping me here." Law stated, but it sounded more like a question than a statement.

Elka solemnly nodded.

"Then why not just release me? Just let me return to my world." Law flatly said, almost irritated at the fact that he was still confused.

"Because I can't. I may be aware now but that doesn't mean I'd be able to..adjust quickly." Elka replied, frustrated. "I want to help you so bad, I mean it. I don't want to keep you here forever! I wish for you to return but..I still... I don't know."

"I was right. You are the key." Law decisively exhaled, gently closing his eyes in defeat. "But your key is such a complicated thing. It would have been easier if it was just wish fulfillment."

"It _is_ wish fulfillment." Elka quickly replied. "Only, the conditions are a bit..harder to achieve."

Law sighed. He laid back at the couch, feeling exhausted just thinking about Elka's revelation. He was still dubious but there was a high probability that they were the right answers he'd been seeking. If they could just solve the riddle, and if Elka could only overcome her denial, Law would be able to return.

It wouldn't be so easy. Law felt like they were still missing something but he didn't know what. Actually, he even thought maybe he was just imagining it.

"I'll do my best, doctor." Elka suddenly spoke. "We'll solve this. You _will_ be back to your world, I assure you."

Law felt his eyes widen at the sincerity of Elka's obsidian eyes. Her voice was soft and warm, her tone laced with certainty and determination.

"Then I guess, I'll be counting on you." Law smiled, almost daring.

"You bet!" Elka seemed to have cheered up, blotting out the guilt, sadness and regret that gnawed at her since that tragic event back at GreemBills. She decided to focus all her energy to helping Law return back to where he belongs. Somehow, Elka found a ray of hope. She felt like once this strange occurrence was solved, a miracle was bound to happen, and she clung desperately to that feeling.

=/=

Elka woke up to the chill air, shivering. The room got colder than she can tolerate, her blanket couldn't keep her warm as much so she got up to search for the room's air conditioner remote control.

"The sun hasn't come up yet." Law spoke, his tone quiet.

Elka was startled when she heard the man speak. She thought he was asleep. "Did you even sleep?"

"I'm a light sleeper, remember?" Law simply stated.

"Right. Um, doctor, can you pass me that remote?" Elka pointed at a white device sitting over the white table right below the television.

Law got up from the couch and silently walked over the said table. He took the device and gave it to Elka. After pressing a button twice, Elka asked Law to put it back to the table to which the Warlord easily complied.

"By the way, doctor, since I can't really move around for a while, do you plan on exploring the city by yourself?" Elka asked.

"I did plan to, at first, but I just can't leave you alone."

"I'll be fine. My recovery might take two more days and I don't think you'd be able to sit through it. It's too long."

"I'm patient when it comes down to it." Law crossed his arms and laid back on the couch, closing his eyes to take a nap.

"Actually, I think I should tell Ross about you." Elka announced, making Law snap his eyes open in both surprise and opposition.

"You trust him that much?" Law knew he asked that question before but he just couldn't help himself.

"Yes. If Ross says he'll help, he will." Elka sounded confident. "We can trust him to keep quiet about your ability."

Law gave her an inquisitive look. "This Ross person, who is he really? What is he?"

Elka understood Law's suspicion, after all, she admitted Ross was a bit eccentric. "Ross is..well, he's in the army."

"Army?"

"It's what we call our world's militia. There are four military organizations that keeps our country safe. Each country in this world has them too, although some has only three military organizations as they treat the army and the police one and the same." Elka explained.

Law kept quiet. He'd been interested about Elka's world's militia for a while now. As someone who had been running around labeled as a criminal constantly tailed by marines, he wanted to know the difference of military power in Elka's world and his.

"In this country, the army and police department are separate entities, so that's two already. The other two would be the navy and the air force. The navy are similar to the marines in your world, because they guard the coasts of our country and fight with naval ships. The air force, well, they fight in the air."

"How?" Law was genuinely thrilled and curious. He was aware of the sky islands existing in his world, but he never thought sky islands also existed in Elka's world.

"Through planes, but not just your regular air planes. They're jets - fighter jets. They are armed with missiles and heavy gun equipment. I really don't know the details but it's something like that."

"Planes? Jets? What are those?" Law inquired, his eyes almost sparkling in awe. His hidden desire for knowledge and possible breakthrough of science was beginning to surface.

Elka looked fairly surprised. She thought back, realizing there weren't really air planes shown in the series, but flying ships, and it was even in a movie which was only caused by the power of a devil fruit too. Elka felt stupid for mentioning said airborne vehicles.

"Er, well, if you've seen a torpedo or a missile, they look like that but with wings and fins in their body." Elka explained, half-chastened. She actually wanted to just show him some pictures through her phone but she already lost it. The cell Ross lent her was a regular cell, not a smartphone.

Law looked at her in wonder. "And how do they fly? Your people have such powers?"

Elka was taken aback by Law's question. "Humans can't fly!" she almost yelled, awestruck of Law's ignorance. "I mean, come on, I already told you devil fruits are non-existent in this world."

"How should I know? Your people might have been born with natural flight capabilities." Law casually replied.

"If it was possible I would've done that in the first place!" Elka exclaimed, almost astonished of Law's casual tone. "It's technology, okay? Tech-no-lo-gy." Elka felt exhausted just thinking about it, yet she felt a bit giddy knowing such a side of the Warlord. "But I guess it's to be expected for your train of thoughts to be so..well, unreal. I mean, flying islands? Just wow."

Law wondered. "You don't have flying islands?"

"We don't." Elka quickly replied. "But yes, we do have flying vehicles."

Law almost gaped at Elka's declaration. He never knew such things existed. "It would be nice if I could see one." he muttered under his breath.

Elka heard him and she couldn't suppress a chuckle when she did. "I'll ask Ross to take you to an airport."

"Airport?" Law wondered. "Hold on, Ross is going to bring me there?" he couldn't control his voice raising a bit at the thought.

Elka frowned. "You don't want him to?"

Law wanted to admit how he disliked the idea but he couldn't say. After all, he sort of already knew where their conversation was going.

"I was going to ask Ross to accompany you in search of possible clues as to your sudden appearance in this world." Elka announced, looking hesitant but somehow, convinced it was for the better. "I'm sure Ross is also busy due to the recent bombing but at least you get to explore our world. Who knows? You might find more clues during that time."

Law thought for a moment. "From what I understand, Ross- _ya_ belongs to the marines?"

Elka blinked. "Er, sort of. He's in the army though, so, not quite."

"I don't see any difference." Law bluntly answered.

Elka felt awkward. "Well, yeah, I suppose you're right."

Law wasn't overly surprised with Ross's background, in fact, it even pleased him. He already fought Ross, and knowing he was a 'marine' cleared things up for him. Law thought it suited the redhead, what with his admiration on Fleet Admiral Akainu and his firm statement on 'eliminating' him. Law couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

"I hope you don't try to fight him, doctor." Elka told Law, worry creasing her face. "Ross is fairly capable but with your devil fruit power, I'm sure you'd win. Just..don't hurt him, please."

Law frowned at Elka's blatant display of affection and trust towards the young lad. A part of him wanted to just ignore it as it was understandable since the two were 'friends', but another part of him just couldn't let it slide for reasons he was unsure of.

"I won't, unless he starts it." Law spoke in a dangerous tone.

"He won't." Elka solemnly replied. "Ross isn't a brute. He has a good head over his shoulders, doctor."

Law hummed lightly at Elka's statement. He was amused at how the woman defended her 'friend' even though he disliked the person. "So Elka- _ya_ , what now?"

Elka grabbed the phone that was lying atop her bedside table and operated it. "I'm going to message Ross first to let him know. After all, it's not morning yet, he might be sleeping." she spoke as her fingers glided over the buttons, typing fast until finally hitting send. "Honestly, I don't want to bother him but I figured I'll be needing his help."

"Are you sure you're going to be fine by yourself?" Law was skeptical about the idea of leaving Elka by herself in the hospital.

"I'll be fine." Elka smiled. "And I'm not moving from this place, I'm sure no harm would fall upon me."

"You're too optimistic for your own good, Elka- _ya_."

"I understand you're worried. After all, I _am_ your ticket to getting back." Elka sounded resigned. "But you have to keep moving, doctor. We need more clues. We have to find out a certain way to get you back to your world."

Not later, the phone briefly chimed as it received a message. Ross had replied, saying he agrees to whatever Elka wanted to do. Elka sent back a message saying she needed to talk with him for more details, to which the lad quickly replied back, saying it was okay if she wanted to talk by then.

Elka gestured at Law, hinting she was going to give Ross a call. The Warlord only nodded his head in response as he watched the woman press a few buttons on the device before bringing it over her left ear.

The other line was ringing for a while before Ross finally picked up.

"Yes, this is Ross Maris speaking."

"It's me, Elka."

"I know." Ross simply said. "So what did you want me to do?"

"Before that, I wanted to tell you something." Elka glanced at Law. "You see, something strange happened to me." Elka was having second thoughts but she managed to press on. "Ross, will you believe me?"

"Of course I will." Ross quickly answered.

"Then, don't laugh okay? I'm being serious." Elka forewarned.

Ross let out a short laugh. "Elka, even if you tell me you hate chocolates while scarfing down on M&Ns, I will still believe you."

Elka felt her lips slowly smile. "Thank you, Ross." she swallowed her nervousness before continuing, "Ross, doctor is, well, he's Trafalgar Law."

Ross remained quiet.

"I mean, Trafalgar Law from One Piece. You know, that _Manga_ series we're so crazy about." Elka felt her palms getting sweaty despite the cool wind from the room's air conditioner. "As in Trafalgar Law, the captain of Heart Pirates. As in, Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death."

Ross exhaled noisily from the other line. "I believe you." he simply said.

Elka was silent for a moment, letting his words linger for a while longer.

"And what do you want me to do, Elka?" Ross's voice echoed from the other end.

Elka jolted in surprise. "Oh, right! Since I can't really leave the hospital, can you accompany him to search for clues?"

"Clues?"

"I want to help him return to One Piece. To his world."

"...I see." Ross replied, his tone world-weary.

Elka frowned. "...You don't believe me, do you?"

"I believe you, Elka." Ross quickly replied, his voice moderate. "It's just I have some paperwork to finish right now, but yes, I will help him."

Elka brightened at Ross's answer. "Really?! Thank you so much, Ross!" she smiled at Law. "I'll give him my room key. You should search my room."

"...All right. Does it have to be now?"

"I understand you're busy. It can wait."

"Do you think you can instruct mister Law to just meet me somewhere? I can't really visit you there today and it wouldn't be a good idea to send him to my..current location."

"It's okay, Ross." Elka gently replied, comforting the young man. "I'll tell doctor to meet you instead. How about the Chicken Kitchen on En Downtown?"

There was a faint rustling noise of paper before Ross answered. "Sounds good. I'll be waiting there by seven in the morning."

"All right, Chicken Kitchen at seven in the morning." Elka repeated for confirmation.

"Yes." Ross replied. "Is there anything else you want done, Elka?"

"Nothing in particular. I just want to find a way for doctor to return to his world." Elka simply stated.

"Simple enough." Ross replied, sounding almost relieved. "Just give me a call if there's anything else. I'll do whatever you want done, Elka."

=/=

Trafalgar Law stood in front of a small, two-story restaurant with a huge panel of a whole fried chicken with its leg tied in red ribbon. In his hand was Elka's poorly hand-drawn landmarks and streets he's supposed to take, on its other side was scribbles of the nameplates he's supposed to check over the buses that passes through the indicated bus stop. According to Elka, there were actually different destination each buses takes and she firmly told Law to take a specific bus.

Sadly, he took the wrong one.

Nevertheless, he somehow found his way back on track and ultimately, he was standing right before the establishment he had been looking for: The Chicken Kitchen. It was almost eight when he got there. Law couldn't help it, he got lost on the way there. He carried with him Elka's brown satchel containing the things she packed up yesterday, including her wallet and room key. Not to mention, he used her money and he was somehow surprised at how much the gal actually brought. Law couldn't help but wonder how much that figure of his cost if she did plan to buy it by then. He also had her wristwatch, although he didn't wear it since it was too small for him, on his pocket to check the time, that's why Law figured he was late, horribly late.

Deciding it wasn't even worth thinking about his stupid blunder, Law casually entered the restaurant. He was greeted by the waitress as she introduced to him their specialty: whole fried chicken.

 _Why am I not surprised?_ Law thought to himself as he stared at the cardboard she held out to him, a huge chicken printed on it.

"Have you seen a young man with short red hair?" Law asked the waitress, disregarding the cardboard she showed him.

The girl thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. We had customers with red hair earlier but they already left."

Law inwardly groaned. He knew Ross was impatient but leaving him behind was just too much. He almost wanted to curse. Ross proudly declared how much he cared about Elka's decision yet he fucking left him.

"Oh, but there was one man with freckles on his cheeks though." the waitress announced. "I remember 'cause he's such a cutie. He ordered one whole fried chicken earlier. I think he's still upstairs." she offered to guide the Warlord, to which he accepted.

When the two reached upstairs, Law easily found the young lad sitting at a corner by the huge window. He was the only one on that floor, his plate already empty. They walked up to him, the waitress leading the way as she attempted to offer another plate of whole fried chicken to the redhead.

"I guess I'll take another." Ross simply replied, smiling at the young waitress.

Delighted, the girl quickly scribbled the order on her notepad and excused herself. She almost galloped back to the stairs and finally went down, leaving the two alone on their own devices.

There was a deafening silence as the two only stared at each other for a while but the silence didn't stretch that long as Ross decided to speak.

"Take a seat, mister Law." Ross gestured at the couch across him.

Law quietly complied, pulling up the chair and taking a seat.

Ross smiled. "I didn't expect you to be.. _the_ 'Trafalgar Law'." he began.

Law smirked. "And I didn't expect you to easily accept it. After all, the first time you heard it you weren't fazed."

"Names don't really matter to me, after all, they can be changed in any way anytime."

"Let me confirm something." Law placed his arms over the table and held his hands together in a matter of formal negotiation. "Are you really going to help me?"

Ross snorted. "Yes." he leaned forward, smirking at the man. "Though I admit, I don't like you at all."

"That's great. The feeling is mutual." Law retorted, equally returning the smug of the lad's smirk.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** Hello there, readers! It's been a while, I know, and I want to apologize for the long delay. Just one word: **FINALS**. You get the picture. Yeah, there were also some other stuff and the holidays but mostly, the upcoming finals kept me from writing. It's true I already have drafts and yes, I already planned out everything for this fic. This is my first serious fic so please don't worry, **I will finish it**. Anyhow, this chapter might be boring and I'm ashamed I was unable to make it longer but I hope you all still enjoy it. I will make the next chapter longer, the fact I'm still able to post this chapter with my finals creeping up is beyond me. That is all. Thank you._

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Tenth Sign**_

"Surgeon of Death, huh?" Ross laid back onto his chair, his face expressionless and his tone casual. "The guy with the Op-op fruit, right?"

There was no hostility coming from Ross. It was more like he was bored, yet the question raised at least implied his apparent interest.

Law found it intriguing how Ross didn't sound dubious. It made him wonder what the lad was scheming. Law couldn't afford to let his guards down knowing how Ross attacked him just last night. The redhead made his intentions clear to him: he wanted nothing but to 'eliminate' him, and Law doubted Ross would give up on it just because of Elka. The dark doctor hadn't missed that flare in Ross's blue eyes when they fought, a flare of pure malice and judgment.

Yet the lad didn't seem aggressive at all.

Ross wasn't all that bothered with Law's silent treatment. Instead, he decided to stop talking as well and let silence take over. He took his time scrutinizing the dark doctor from head to toe. Although the table was in the way, Ross looked back on his first impressions about the man when he first met him back in the dormitory's kitchen. Ross was amused by Law's attitude - clearly, the man had no manners - this thought tugged his lips into a smirk, which made Law's brow twitch, annoyed at the fact that Ross was openly eyeing him. The redhead didn't even bother to look ashamed even with Law glaring straight at him.

Not later, the waitress came in carrying the chicken Ross ordered earlier. After setting the food and laying another plate down in front of Law and replacing Ross's plate with a new one, the waitress reminded the redhead to just pay up the bill on the cash register downstairs before they leave. She also set down two glasses and a pitcher of water on the table before making herself scarce.

"Go ahead. It's yours." Ross began, breaking the silence that seemed to have went on for hours. Law didn't bother to acknowledge the redhead's words, but he proceeded to take the knife that was set beside his plate to cut the chicken in half.

When Law placed half of the meat over his plate, Ross asked him out of the blue, "Do you still have that stealth knife?"

Law narrowed his eyes on Ross. "Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question." Ross quickly replied, smiling.

Law remained quiet. Ross waited, holding that strange smile on his face. Paying no heed at the redhead's gesture, Law began to eat, carefully cutting the meat into small bite-size pieces before carrying it to his mouth. He continued the process silently and it seemed Ross didn't really care whether he was ignored or not.

"I was the one who suggested it." Ross spoke, his tone quiet.

Law wondered. "Suggested what?"

"That she get one. A stealth knife, I mean." Ross smiled again. "And to think she gave it to you. Honestly, I didn't know what to feel when I realized it was her 'comb' you were holding."

Law was amused at how Ross smiled at him. There was a faint hint of anger from his tone but he was good veiling it with indifference. Still, it was clear what the young lad was trying to convey just by his sentence alone, possibly, jealousy as well. Law only smirked.

"Anyway, I just wanted to strike a conversation but it seems you're not much for talking." Ross hurriedly added in an effort to terminate the issue at hand. He disliked showing too much of his emotions, he refused to make himself transparent. Most times, Ross loses his composure when it came to Elka, but he would always make an effort to control them once he noticed.

"If I do have her knife with me, what would you do?" Law scoffed.

Ross looked a bit shocked. "Well, if you're answering the question now, that's..." he trailed off from his sentence, glancing at both sides as if checking the surroundings. "I'd like to experience it. Your devil fruit ability, that is."

Law was surprised, and also amused at Ross's interest in his powers. And to think he'd suggest to 'experience' it - Law had to applaud the lad's bravery, or maybe Ross was just too conceited for declaring such a thing.

"It's not that I need proof, I completely believe Elka. It's just, I'm really curious about your ability." Ross continued, looking excited as he went on. "I'm not sure if the blade's sharpness contributes to your ability's performance so I also had to check if you have a proper weapon with you." he added, his smile turning into a grin. "And I know you could also make things float or switch things out but it wouldn't be enough to satisfy me."

It wasn't even surprising how much Ross knew about the dark doctor. Elka knew a lot of things about him and his world as a 'fan' of the ' _Manga_ ', and Law knew Ross was the same - he also held the same knowledge Elka had. Law admittedly felt a tad uncomfortable with it since it somewhat made him feel vulnerable; translucent. His advantage was the mystery of his devil fruit, take that away and what's left was its weakness staring at his opponent's face, waiting to be exploited. Law disliked displaying his full power in plain sight. He didn't even fancy using it multiple times, not just because it drains his stamina a lot, but also because he wanted to avoid 'smart' people. He didn't want to give them the chance to analyze and understand his ability, and ultimately, counter it.

"If I refuse?"

Ross blinked. He looked shocked for a moment before letting out a short chuckle. "Oh, did it sound like I was asking permission?" he spoke in a derisive tone.

Law stared hard at the young lad who kept a wide smirk plastered on his face. He was certain he already showed Ross the gap between their strength the night they fought but the lad was getting a little too conceited for his tastes. True, Ross knew how to fight. To be honest, Law even admitted if Ross knew how to use _haki_ , he'd be a formidable foe, no doubt. The instant they clashed, he felt the young lad's potential locked up for reasons Law was unaware of. Still, the fact that the redhead implied he'd be able to force Law to use his devil fruit ability against him spoke volumes of his confidence in his own strength and abilities.

On second thought, Law also found it thrilling. Law hummed, thinking he was being challenged into a game he would most likely win anyway. He considered it was a golden opportunity to finally gauge Ross's strength and see if he could be a potential candidate for his crew. Though he didn't really like the young lad, he couldn't deny the fact that he would be more viable compared to Elka, as Ross didn't only offer the same knowledge she had, but also strength that she lacked thereof.

But Law also valued passion, a solid motivation. Obviously, the young lad's thoughts just didn't align with his. Ross was a tempting option but Law was leaning more towards Elka. Nevertheless, what was important at the time was to figure a way out, and since Ross at least guaranteed his help in the matter, Law reconsidered granting the young lad's demand.

"Curiosity can be dangerous." Law simply said, warning intended.

Ross kept his smile in spite of Law's 'threat'. It seemed he already expected the man's response. "I had hoped we could at least agree on one point." he sighed, picking up a fork and sinking it into the white tender meat, taking a piece of it over his mouth before continuing, "Still, our city's peace can be a bit stifling, don't you think?"

Law raised a brow in surprise and wonder. "What do you mean?"

"You're a pirate." Ross said dryly. He proceeded to take a fourth of the meat that was left on the tray and placed it over his plate. "Everywhere you go, there's chaos and battle. I'm sure it's hard adjusting now that in our world, there's nothing but peace and serenity."

Law narrowed his eyes on Ross. He sounded like he didn't value peace - more so, he sounded like he actually disliked it. "From what Elka- _ya_ told me, you're a marine." Law pointedly said, making Ross shoot him an inquisitive look.

"You mean I'm a soldier, defender of justice and all that?"

Law was surprised at how the young lad put it. He sounded _too_ sarcastic. "You _are_ a soldier, aren't you?"

"Right." Ross replied. "Just like the marines, those white caped soldiers in your world."

"You said you liked them."

"Right. I did say that." Ross closed his eyes for a moment. "I can empathize with Admiral Akainu." when he opened them, there was no arrogance, only determination. "Marines, dogs for the World Government leashed by their words and bound by their decisions, fight for justice. Climbing up the ranks would surely guarantee something and Admiral Akainu did so in order to accomplish his goals." Ross paused for a moment, letting his words linger for a while longer, fixing his blue eyes on Law's grey ones. "It's the same for me. That's all there is to it."

Law hummed, the lad was surprisingly understated, and he wouldn't have seen Fleet Admiral Akainu in such light as well if it weren't for Ross. All he knew was that Akainu was brutal, but in the end, he couldn't deny that the magma-user was devoted to his cause. Still, he felt like he needed more information to form a solid premise about Ross. Anyone would get even more curious when people try to hide things from them, and Law wasn't exempted from this. He became more curious, not just with Ross's profile but also, with his relationship with Elka, and more so to the knowledge they hold. Law could never find himself developing a convincing theory about how the two got involved with each other, especially now that he could see the contrast between the principles they live with. Elka seemed to cherish peace even at the cost of her life while Ross appeared to not care at all for the sake of his goal.

"Don't get me wrong, I highly value righteousness. Those who cannot abide by the law should perish." Ross stated, raising his index finger as if he was trying to preach. "But peace makes people too soft and..quixotic." he looked sad and disappointed as he continued, "And now that terrorist attacks had resumed, I found out those in power had become meek and are blinded to see the right options and cannot choose efficiently."

"Those in power?" Law was curious. He somehow got the gist of it but he needed confirmation.

"Our government." Ross answered, smirking. "Just like _your_ World Government."

Law felt the corners of his mouth form a smirk and didn't comment on the statement.

Ross smiled as he continued, "The World Government - everything revolves around it. The marines can't do anything that goes against it, just as how we're supposed to abide by their words in order to protect _them_ and their shitty reputationwhen in reality, we're all trained to protect the country and its people. It's funny how our worlds work the same way." Ross solemnly stated, speaking in a dismal tone with clear disappointment painted on his face. "I didn't really like One Piece. Who would want to watch something you also see in reality? You'll just get sick of it."

Law frowned in confusion after hearing Ross's piece. From what he could recall, One Piece was the title of the series that Elka told him about - the name of the world he belonged to. He remembered her mentioning Ross liked it as much as her but now, right in front of him, the lad himself confessed he disliked it.

"Elka- _ya_ said you liked it."

"Right." Ross dryly answered. "Of course I liked it overtime. Despite its plot almost revolving around current issues in this reality, it was fairly entertaining to say the least." he paused for a moment before muttering under his breath, "Besides, I don't want to upset Elka."

"I don't understand. Why do you speak of her as if you're putting her on a pedestal?" Law was curious and confused. Ross was highly skilled, and he looked like he's quite well-off yet it was as if Elka was a part of him that he couldn't afford to lose.

Ross's eyes widened in surprise when he heard the question, his expression eventually morphing into disapproval. "If you have to ask that question, then you most definitely _don't_ deserve Elka, mister Law."

Law wanted to argue with Ross's statement but a loud ringing sound interrupted the two. It was Ross's phone; an incoming call from woman in question herself.

Ross immediately took his phone out and answered, forgetting Law's presence. His features quickly softening as he spoke, "Yes, this is Ross Maris speaking." his tone was even, yet there was a hint of gentleness in it.

"Ross, did you meet? And have you eaten?" was the quick reply from the other line.

Ross smiled warmly at the sound of Elka's voice. She seemed to be doing well. "I was about to ask you the same thing." he briefly glanced at Law. "To answer both questions, yes. Please worry about yourself more, Elka."

Law flinched upon hearing the lad mention Elka's name. A curious sensation overwhelmed him; he wanted to speak with the girl himself, no, he wanted to hear Elka's voice just to confirm she was doing well, but he knew Ross wouldn't even grace him that one request so he kept it to himself.

Throughout their conversation, Ross would only offer Law a brief glance, immediately darting his eyes down on the table to avoid his gaze. Ross would occasionally hum and nod his head, giving short replies like 'yes' and 'don't worry'. With Ross using the pronoun 'we' and 'he' at times, Law knew that Elka was actually talking and asking about him, and Ross would give him a glare every time.

"Even if doctor taunts you, don't fight, okay?" obvious worry spilled from Elka's lips.

Ross only smiled, leering at the man before him. "Don't worry, Elka. Just get well soon, okay?" he never liked lying to Elka, no, not at all, that's why Ross would sometimes give her indirect answers and let her assume from it. Knowing Elka, Ross was confident she would hope for the best, and that's what he liked most about her. Elka was so pure that he couldn't bring himself to dirty her. He disliked letting her see the madness of the world, he even despised himself once for letting her see the darkness lurking inside him.

True, Ross was bored with the idea of peace. Heck, he actually believed peace would only deteriorate humanity and deter development - _a paradise of boredom_ , as he always defined it. He joined the army, inspired by his late father's dream of supremacy and power. Ross was fascinated with the concept but he wasn't the type of guy to make things complicated. He was only interested in protecting what needs protecting; killing and destroying who and what needs killing and destroying, simple as that.

And then, he met Elka.

It wasn't anything overly dramatic. Just one day, he took the train and rode the same cart Elka was in. He just stood there by the door, but Elka who happened to be seated near the door called his attention, moved aside and offered the seat next to her with that kind smile plastered on her face, and Ross simply got taken with her. His view of the monochromatic peace changed with Elka providing him the colors; evidence he needed to accept peace won't necessarily dissolute humanity, making peace less boring to him.

They haven't known each other yet back then, and right there and then he told himself to endeavor for the benefit of his countrymen in hopes of protecting her as well. Never did it strike him that fate would pull a stunt on him, meeting the woman again three and a half years later and becoming close, though she didn't exactly remember him. In the end, the greatest plot twist in his life was Elka becoming his ' _peace_ '.

=/=

Elka just sighed from the other line. "All right. I'll call again later. Stay safe, both of you." she then ended the call.

Deep furrows creased her forehead as she thought about Law's venomous tendencies and Ross's muted streak of violence clashing. Elka firmly believed Ross would _never_ initiate a battle but surely,the redhead would _happily_ accept any challenge thrown at him regardless. From the short three months Elka knew Ross, she picked up the redhead's subtle ruthlessness despite staying aloof from trouble. It wasn't simply because Ross tended to show cruel disregard towards almost anything, it was because Ross liked fighting. He was very fascinated by all kinds of martial arts, and he liked reading about strategy, tactics, and techniques of combat - he was in love with the art of war.

Now, Elka wasn't blindly judging Ross just by his hobbies. After all, the lad easily accepted _her_ hobby which she thought to be inferior compared to his. Ross was living in reality and lived a fairly active lifestyle while she kept immersing herself in fantasies and led a sedentary life. Ross welcomed the world of _Anime_ and _Manga_ when she suggested it, ultimately turning him into a fan of her favorite series, One Piece, but she never expected the man to like its antagonists. Nevertheless, she appreciated Ross's kindness. She became comfortable with Ross despite his occasional weird behaviors.

And then the 'underpass' incident happened.

Her memory of it was still vivid. It was a Sunday, just like that day. It was the first time they hung out, celebrating Elka's acing _all_ her major preliminary exams. On the way back home, they took a shortcut that required them to pass through a dusty underpass. It wasn't really dangerous, it wasn't even haunted. Only, it was known for a few thugs lingering around it at nightfall, and Elka didn't expect to get harassed even with Ross's presence.

Ross didn't look so intimidating, especially with his height being average and those freckles across his face. No one would even think he belonged in the army, hell, he looked just like a sixteen year old, your average guy that worked at gasoline stations or convenience stores to earn money for college. No wonder some fools dared to bully them.

Elka knew how Ross had always been protective of her. He always tipped her with specific routes and paths to take whenever she went out - of course she'd notice. He would also volunteer to escort her at times, going to such lengths of making time for her out of his busy schedule. Although Elka appreciated the gesture, she did think Ross was doing too much for her and she didn't understand why. The lad didn't show any signs of being romantically inclined to her, so she was confused. She did consider that Ross was probably acting like a big brother to her, but she couldn't really tell, after all, she didn't have an actual big brother to compare.

It was the first time Elka saw Ross in action. She knew he was in the army and she did figure he was trained for combat but seeing it in real time was a different experience. Ross wordlessly punched the guy who threw a stone at her, instantly knocking him out cold by taking it at the side of his chin. When the guy collapsed on the ground, Ross made quick work of the rest. She could never understand why he went to such lengths just to 'punish' them. He was in the army, they have moral codes as well. Those thugs weren't even fighting back anymore yet Ross kept beating them down. He almost left them for dead, if not for her persistent interference.

Little did she know, Ross had all intentions to kill those thugs. He believed he was even doing the world a favor for ridding it with 'garbage', but he held back for he didn't want to stain his clothes with blood. He didn't want to look dirty in front of Elka, most especially, he didn't want to get her dirty either. He later on apologized to her for his uncouth display of savagery, distancing himself thinking he might soil Elka with his iniquity. But Elka just grabbed his arm and easily forgave him, his admiration for her shooting up as she kindly smiled at him, the one expression he was so enamored of.

It had been three weeks since, and Elka knew Ross was glad to find a capable opponent, but it was Law, and his devil fruit ability works in their world. It wasn't just because of his ability, but Law was known to be cruel and she'd seen his cruelty firsthand. She prayed hard. She didn't want the two to fight for whatever reasons. She didn't want Ross to die, though she figured Law wouldn't needlessly go there as the lad offered a helping hand. Still, she considered the possibility of the two having a senseless bout, resulting to Ross losing a limb or two, or worse, missing his heart. The thought made Elka regret her decision of letting the two meet.

=/=

Trafalgar Law finished his food just the same as Ross cleaned up the rest. It seemed the redhead was a big eater, considering he ordered one whole fried chicken earlier and finished it all by himself, yet eating another half of it.

"So, let's begin." Ross announced, suddenly standing up from his seat.

Law looked confused. "Begin what?"

Ross smirked, picking up a dinner knife from the table and pointing it against Law. "What else? Aren't you going to use your power on me?"

Law smirked. "I highly admire your audacity, Ross- _ya_."

"And I highly despise your sarcasm, _Law_." Ross jabbed the knife forward, only to be replaced by a wishbone, never even reaching Law's skin.

There was a whole set of forks and dinner knives surrounding Ross by the time he thrust forward, their sharp ends pointed against him. Ross never noticed when Law had the chance to create his 'room'. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down from his temple as he anticipated Law's next move if it were a different situation. He could try to duck to avoid most of them, but the Warlord could switch him out somewhere and attack him while he was off guard. Ross was fairly aware how disadvantageous his position was but he was curious, curious as to how far he would fare against a real devil fruit user - _a real monster_.

For a moment, Ross wanted to push his luck. He felt the adrenaline, every cell in his body tingling in excitement with the uncertainty of getting out of Law's clutches alive. It was the thrill he had been looking for, the thrill that easily died down as he eventually conquered worthy rivals and overcame life-and-death situations. Still, he knew better than causing too much of a commotion, so with a puff of breath, he withdrew his hand. Regaining composure was never a problem to the young lieutenant, only, his heart beat faster than usual, his body shuddering in anticipation.

"I sincerely wish for your departure, mister Law. Rest assured, after this I will definitely help you get back to where you rightfully belong." Ross simply offered, his last attempt to convince the Warlord.

Law hummed. He was sincere when he said he admired the lad's audacity. Ross was brave enough, and somehow prepared to lose a limb if he ever played dirty, but it did cross his mind that the young lad was simply just as naive as Elka, blindly believing he would give him what he expected. Of course, Law thought the latter was unlikely, after all, he was dealing with a surprisingly shrewd redhead. Remembering Elka's words about Ross made the dark doctor remind himself to stay vigilant. Law was a careful man, and he wouldn't let Ross pull a fast one on him even if it was a tiny one percent chance.

"Let me make this clear." Law began, standing up as well.

Ross flinched when the man stood. He braced himself, preparing for surprise attacks and whatnot.

Law smirked at the boy's reaction. "You want me to use my ability on you, correct?"

Ross looked skeptical. He didn't really expect the Warlord to easily give him what he wanted. "...Correct."

"You wouldn't mind if..." Law picked up a dinner knife and raised it up to Ross's neck. "I cut off your head?"

"Frankly, I mind." Ross smiled, instantly jumping aside to gain distance. He knew Law wouldn't be so amenable, but he was more or less prepared for it. It was clear Law indeed desires to get back to his world so he knew the dark doctor wouldn't be so rash about killing him. Still, he had to make sure he doesn't get any serious injuries, otherwise, his plans would be ruined.

Law held the smug smirk on his face, his grey eyes silently following Ross's movements. He was still aware of their surroundings, and he could tell there were quite a few civilians underneath them. Law was amused by Ross's eagerness, and impatience to test his skills, or at least that was how he interpreted it. Law knew the lad expected him to hesitate upon taking his life by using that 'I'll help you' facade. Still, the Warlord convinced himself he would hold back for the sake of fulfilling Elka's wish.

With a subtle movement, Law reached into his pocket, but Ross gained on him fast enough that he was forced to match him with bare hands. Both rolled with punches, Law having to mostly block. Close quarters combat wasn't exactly his forte and Ross pushing him back forced him to use _haki_ , a black fist immediately thrown towards the redhead's freckled face. Ross evaded the incoming punch, but Law grabbed him by the neck and forced him down, his back hitting the floor hard enough that he coughed up blood.

Law didn't quite yet release him, proceeding to sit over the lad's stomach and placing another hand over his neck, gradually squeezing his hands together. Ross was clawing on his hands and kicking his legs in an effort to break free, but the Warlord didn't budge. The clock was ticking, it seemed Ross was going to choke to death, and then he saw the handle of Elka's black comb protruding from Law's pocket. Without thinking, he just grabbed it, its stainless steel flashing against the light when the cover loosely separated. Law took notice, but before he could even respond Ross stabbed him with it over his tartan jeans, its blade sinking through the flesh on his left thigh. The pain it inflicted made Law flinch, and Ross took advantage of that split second to break away.

With a grunt, Law removed the blade that pierced his flesh, red blood soaking his pants. It was shallow, he knew the bleeding could be stopped just with direct pressure but it wasn't the time. Ross quickly advanced. He didn't want to give Law the chance to recover but it later turned out he made the wrong decision. Law met Ross's strike with his bare hand, hitting the young lad's chest.

Ross didn't understand what happened. He froze just as he felt a huge weight taking the wind from his lungs. He felt exhausted, his knees was ready to buckle down but he fought it with sheer tenacity. Out of anything, getting himself down to his knees was the worst form of defeat. With a huge puff of breath, he straightened up, and that's when he heard a small thump behind him.

Law turned his palm up and in that instant, an object that was a little over pink, almost red, and was contracting even with its large veins cut sat over. It seemed to be sheltered in a cube-like transparent sheet which kept blood from spilling all over.

It was Ross's heart.

Ross felt his eyes widen in shock as he watched his own heart continually contracting even outside his body. There was no sensation of pain yet his heavy panting was proof enough that depriving him of his heart somehow tires him. He knew what Law could do with it in his possession, but instead of terror, he felt his body shook in exhilaration.

"Wow... It's seriously real..." he mumbled to himself as he stared at his own heart in awe. "So Elka's been studying that thing? Amazing."

Law was indeed amazed, not by the lad's display of obstinacy and calm but by the words that came out from his mouth. Of all things he was concerned with, it involved Elka.

"I assume I need not inform you of what I can do with this." Law stood up and placed the heart over the nearest table. He sheathed the stealth blade and placed it beside the heart before finally sitting down in a chair to tend to his wounded thigh.

Ross remained in place and just quietly watched the Warlord. Feeling no strength left in his muscles slapped him awake. Although he'd really like to take his heart back, he couldn't really muster any strength. Ross knew that Law's ' _Mes_ ' tires the enemy out but he didn't expect it to be in that degree. He only managed to keep standing with force but other than that, he couldn't even move a finger. He was truly exhausted.

=/=

Ross had a black carry-on bag that contained a few extra clothes, making Law change into something 'clean'. The Warlord was surprised that the lad actually thought ahead, even preparing such things to cover up the mess, and to think even the restaurant's waitress was an actual accomplice of the boy, Law had to admit he was quite amazed.

Not later, The two found themselves walking across the streets. Trafalgar Law wore a white long sleeve with a wide neck that revealed his collar bones, pairing it with a plain faded jeans. Ross, on the other hand, changed into a white collar shirt under a brown, buttoned long sleeve, paired with brown jeans and black shoes. They were going to take a very busy street and Ross wanted to avoid attention so he figured they had to change into something casual.

"Ross- _ya_ , are we going back to the dormitory?" Law asked. He was walking a step behind Ross and since he was fairly unfamiliar with the place, and he couldn't completely trust the redhead, he had to start a conversation.

"Yes." Ross plainly answered. He didn't even bother to spare a glance at the man and kept his pace. He was still partially annoyed at the fact that his chest had a hole, and knowing the dark doctor, it might take a while before he could get his heart back.

Law smirked. He had the upper hand but one can't be too careful. Knowing Ross, he'd take any chance he could to snatch his heart back and Law wasn't one to allow such disgrace. With Ross's heart in his possession, he could ensure the lad's cooperation. Not only that, since the lad was in the dark about his little issue regarding Elka, Law safely assumed he could also use her to subdue the redhead if he ever tries to rebel against him.

When the duo found themselves standing at the other end of a crossing waiting for the passing cars to stop, Law raised another question.

"If given the chance, will you come with me?" it was the same question he asked Elka, although he wasn't as sincere as he did with her.

Ross chuckled. "You're seriously asking that?"

Law rolled his eyes. "I was just curious. I wasn't serious."

"I won't come with you." Ross flatly said, making Law snort. But then, Ross suddenly added, "Seems interesting though. I'd like to visit if there's a chance."

Law smirked. "What do you find interesting? I thought you didn't like it."

"Right." Ross smiled. "But hey, fights in that world of yours seem more exciting, and a change of environment wouldn't be so bad."

"I see."

When the light turned green, the two crossed the road. Soon, they reached the bus stop. Ross looked at his watch, it was almost noon.

"The next bus should be here in five minutes." he announced as he proceeded to take a seat at a nearby bench. "Might as well rest for a while. We've walked for half an hour."

Law took a seat as well but at a reasonable distance from the redhead. Ross didn't seem to mind at all, until Law asked again.

"When you said you'd like to visit, does that mean you're willing to leave Elka- _ya_?"

Ross didn't respond.

Law waited for a while longer but it seemed the young lad wasn't very interested with satisfying his curiosity. Still, he wanted to know how much Elka actually meant to Ross so he pressed on.

"I guess you wouldn't want her exposed to danger. It's obvious you would leave her-"

"I'm here to stay." Ross quickly interjected.

Law was quite surprised. He looked at Ross and found the young lad staring at him.

" _Unlike_ _you_ , mister Law, I'm here to stay."

Law felt his breath caught in his throat. He understood what Ross was getting at and he never thought it was that unpleasant to hear it coming from someone else. The engine of an incoming bus joined them, making Ross get off the bench and call for the vehicle while Law stayed seated on the bench. He had to collect his thoughts, he didn't expect himself to get affected by mere words. Getting himself together, he approached Ross when the lad beckoned him. Although seated beside each other, the two kept to themselves until Law broke the silence.

"I have plans to take Elka- _ya_." he casually declared, making Ross jolt in his seat.

Ross glared at the man. "Is that a threat?"

Law smirked. "Take it as you will." he gave him a stern look and continued, "Besides, I can do a better job keeping her safe."

"I beg your pardon." Ross sneered. "You're the one exposing her to danger, and you call that keeping her safe? She got hospitalized."

"That's true but I can save her." Law contended. "I _am_ a doctor."

"And so is she. She doesn't need you."

"And does she need _you_?"

"If she says she doesn't need me, I will back off." Ross immediately replied, his tone firm. "And if she asks for help, I will aid her. You're in no place to assume she needs you. She survived on her own until you two met, don't underestimate her."

Law felt disgusted with their mutual trust and affection for each other, yet, he also felt envious. True, he had his crew - friends he trusts with his life - but Elka and Ross were different. Despite their contrasting principles, they view each other at a very similar place. For a mere three months they've known each other, they understood the other well enough to defend one another in such a way he somehow found wondrous.

* * *

 _ **Notice:** Oh yeah, before I forget, Pokemon Sun and Moon are out today in our country and just know that I'm a huge fan of the franchise, I've played the game since Gen 1 so...yeah, updates may not be so frequent from this day forward. Anyway, rest assured, I will finish this story because honestly, I liked how it turned out. Again, thank you, especially for understanding! Thanks!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Omen**

 _ **Eleventh Sign**_

Past lunch and the duo found themselves in front of Maris Dormitory. Naturally, the security lady recognized Ross and easily allowed both men inside. The two haven't talked much after their little chat in the bus, but Ross remained passive.

Walking silently through the entrance, Law observed their surroundings instead of just looking ahead and seeing the lad's back from his periphery. It was a simple establishment, nothing too fancy. There was a lawn just before reaching the main building and was well kept by the staff which were all women. Remembering Elka's description of the place, specifically the 'all-girl's' part made him wonder, his eyes drifting back to the redhead walking ahead of him. Judging from Ross's full name and the establishment's title, he assumed he was the owner's son. Ross practically owned the place as well.

 _Why all girls if the owner has a son?_ Law could scarcely fathom the thought. He didn't exactly know if the lad had a sister or something. He also considered that the previous lady he met the first time other than Elka was probably Ross's sibling. All of those were just speculation from his part, and he wondered about the whole setup of things.

"Mister Law, you have Elka's room key, right?" Ross asked, breaking Law's thoughts.

"Yes."

"Go on ahead." Ross paused. He briefly looked at Law and continued, "I'm going to let Mama know I'm here."

"Mama?"

The redhead abruptly turned to a corner, leaving Law stunned. He could only sigh as Ross quickly disappeared from his sight. He could tell the lad was hiding more secrets from him - secrets about himself and his family. Law admitted it didn't involve him, it wouldn't even benefit his search for a way out of that strange world he was in, but his curiosity always gets the better of him. It was rare to come across a person such as Ross and he enjoyed uncovering truths surrounding worthwhile enemies.

Not later, Law found himself standing in front of Elka's room. He recalled how Elka tiredly unlocked the door while dripping wet from the rain the other night. It felt strange when he entered the dim room, suddenly realizing how spacious the place was now that he was alone. He turned on the lights and scanned the whole place, sighing boredly at the thought of how many times he had inspected the place since. Everything seemed orderly except for the upturned calendar over an open notebook sitting on the computer desk. Law remembered Elka left it there before they got ready to go out yesterday, so to start, he checked it out.

There was a time table scribbled on the open page and there were encircled dates on the calendar. Reading her tiny notes, Law figured she was preparing for an upcoming exams that was a week from now. Law somehow felt bad for the girl. Because of her hospitalization, a few days she planned to dedicate for studies were taken up. Although Law didn't exactly went through exams and the like to validate his knowledge and skills, he knew the complexity of Medicine in general. He himself admitted there were a few terms and skills he struggled with in his lifetime but considering he was mostly self-taught, he figured Elka may somehow get through it.

Law was later going through Elka's medical notes and books. He thought it would probably please Elka if he taught her a few of his 'shortcuts' to memorize some things. He also had a few tricks to remember some specifics which might help her out in her exams. Imagining himself teaching made him recall memories of the past he held so dearly, but he immediately pushed those lonely thoughts away. Still, he considered doing it in hopes of convincing the raven to finally accept his invitation. It wouldn't be so bad to have someone he could share his passion for knowledge.

As the dark doctor was rummaging through Elka's medical volumes, he found a few cooking guides and recipe pamphlets mixed within them. They seemed out of place so he attempted to sort them out, and then a lone birthday card fell off. He picked it up to examine it. It was pretty simple: a plain white card with cut out colorful gift box images pasted on the lower part, the words 'Happy Birthday' were written in cursive at the center. He flipped it on the other side and found more gift box images pasted on the same lower part of the card, some edges were dirty probably due to excess glue. Law found himself chuckling as the thought of Elka trying hard to be creative with a birthday card crossed his mind. It wasn't very fancy but just looking at the effort she poured into making one was nice.

Trafalgar Law opened the said card to his astonishment. It was addressed to Ross and not only that, but the date written on the topmost corner amazed him:

 _6 October 20XX_

"We actually share the same birthday." Law mumbled to himself, amused. He then proceeded to read the message that followed:

" _Ross, happy birthday!_

 _I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking time out of your every day to eat breakfast with me. Eating alone in a room filled with empty chairs can be very lonely, so thank you for suddenly showing up that morning. Thank you for filling up one empty spot - just one spot and the whole room felt full! Let's get dinner together some time._

 _Your future MD, Elka."_

Law snorted as he finished reading. It was mawkishly sentimental, but it seemed sincere. He had known loneliness and how awful it can be, and from that alone, he could see how much Elka valued Ross. Based from her message, it seemed to him that the redhead saved her from solitude, and that's a feat nobody can easily shrug off.

Initially, Law thought Elka had a lot of friends judging from her personality. She was really open and easily read, and from his experience, those kinds of people were the easiest to get along as you always know what goes through their head, yet it seemed she was a loner and that Ross was the only person who managed to break through her shell. Law clicked his tongue in annoyance. Realizing the two must be closer than he thought, he knew breaking Elka's ties to her world could prove to be more problematic than finding a way to return to his own world. In the end, he rearranged his plans and prepared to accept the possibility of returning without any trophy.

But Trafalgar Law was a stubborn man. Arguing that he endured a lot already, it was fair he claim a reward for his hard work. He didn't know the reason for him arriving to such a world so he figured he could just formulate one: finding priceless treasure that was Elka. Law firmly believed that knowledge can be more powerful than actual weapons, and Elka was the embodiment of the knowledge he sought. The fact that Elka knew about the hidden scheme of Admiral Akainu during the Battle of Marineford, and that Ross knew the mechanics of his ability proved to be invaluable, he can't just give it up.

"Don't leave the door open."

Law was startled when a voice echoed behind him. In a hurry, he shoved the birthday card in his pocket. He turned his head towards the source of the voice and found Ross closing the door behind him.

"The girls might think you're a burglar. Not everyone here knows you." Ross explained as he moved to a corner where Elka placed the boxes of her broken figurine collection. He began searching through them, sparing a quick glance at the Warlord but didn't bother to comment at Law's startled expression.

Silence could have been overwhelming if it weren't for the rustling noises of papers and boxes. The two kept to themselves as they randomly searched through Elka's belongings. Ross didn't really know what he was searching for but he had a hint, isolating a few things he assumed to be related to Law and the One Piece series among Elka's collection. Law, on the other hand, really had no idea what he was even doing. He was only acting, trying to avoid eye contact or a conversation with Ross. He felt odd after obtaining personal information about him. Of course it wasn't anything significant, it wouldn't even benefit his current goal but he felt somehow pleased at the discovery. To Law, it was frustrating knowing very little about the redhead while he knew almost all crucial parts about himself.

"Mister Law." Ross suddenly called, making Law almost jump.

 _Almost._

Ross didn't miss that tiny misstep on Law's part, making the young lad let out a short chortle. "You seem nervous, mister Law. I wonder why."

Law blinked. "I was thinking."

Ross waited but Law only turned away from him. "About what?"

 _Your birthday_. It wasn't anything disturbing, only, Law was quite surprised and it weighed heavily on his mind. Taking a second look at Elka's calendar, the fifth and sixth days of October didn't have marks on them. Meaning, she put those days aside to prepare and celebrate Ross's birthday.

The words felt stuck in his throat. Law didn't even understand why he was thinking about it. It wouldn't even impact on his search to return to his own world, nor would it even help him convince Elka to go with him. It didn't make sense, why was he so concerned with it?

"You're frowning." Ross stated, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

Law's face immediately turned to indifference. "It wasn't anything important. Let's get back to work."

"Can I take a guess?" Ross offered, smiling.

Law only glanced at Ross, but chose to ignore him. He knew it wouldn't be good if he spoke more, the kid was keen, everything should be kept minimum if he wanted to avoid his watchful gaze.

Ross stared curiously at the Warlord before uttering, "It's about me, isn't it?"

Law inwardly groaned, almost gritting his teeth in frustration. Was he that easy to read? He sighed and looked intently at the redhead. "And why would you think that?" he asked, overbearingly.

"You sounded curious earlier." Ross pointed out. "You know, about Mama."

 _He actually heard that?_ Law thought, remaining silent.

Ross stared at him for a while. "So... Aren't you going to deny it?"

Law quietly stared at the young lad, making those blue orbs grow in shock.

"No way, you're truly interested? It won't contribute to your search to return back to your world though." Ross contended, turning away from the man. He felt stupid, it wasn't the outcome he was aiming for. Law openly accepting his accusation left a bad taste in his mouth.

Law could see the frustration from the redhead's face. Ross's smile fell, but he masked it with indifference. He must have done something unexpected from the young lad's perspective and it backfired, making him distressed, although it would seem he still held good composure.

Ross eventually got bored with the direction their conversation was taking. Knowing better, he was bound to answer Law's questions about him - a blatant invasion of privacy. He didn't really mind, but he liked it better if he could get useful information in exchange. He wasn't very keen to giving out information about himself without any benefit.

True, Ross could just ask about Law in return, but he already knew the dark doctor's past, or at least, the first bit of it. He disliked overly dramatic, tragic pasts about a character to sum up how he/she became in the present. It just didn't appeal to him so, he sort of skipped those pages(chapters) when he tried to read the _Manga_ as Elka suggested. To put it simply, Ross wasn't very curious about Law. To him, the only worthwhile stuff he'd like to get around with was his devil fruit ability.

"Forget it." Ross finally spoke, turning back to the boxes he was previously scavenging from. "You should focus on your portal or whatever it is to get you out of this world. The sooner, the better." he added when he caught Law still staring at him.

"I take it you don't want to talk about it?" Law asked.

"More like there's no point talking about it." Ross quickly answered. "I don't particularly mind. You can ask but, it would be better if I get something out of you in return." Ross was humming to himself when he came into a sudden realization, making him jolt in shock. "Your sword! Did you have your sword with you?"

Law raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The _Kikoku_? Of course it's with me." he plainly answered, his tone implying it was supposed to be out of the question.

Ross ran up to him and asked rather excitedly. "Oh yeah? Can I see it? Can I?"

Law was amused by the sudden change in Ross's attitude. "Then I take it you'd be willing to answer any question." he smirked.

Ross nodded. "In exchange, I get to inspect your weapon. The.. _Kikoku_ , right? That's its name, right?"

Law smiled, gesturing towards Elka's bookshelf. From the space between it and the closet, he pulled out his _Kikoku_ \- Law's large cursed blade. It was as tall as Law, towering over Ross's size. The redhead stared at it in awe, his voice cracking as he asked permission to touch it.

"Wow, it has weight... It's seriously real..." Ross mumbled to himself as he held it on his hands. Due to its length, he settled on placing it over Elka's bed as he inspected it.

Law silently watched the young lad from the side. He had to suppress a chuckle when Ross gingerly ran his fingers over the scabbard's intricate ornaments. It was refreshing to see such a sly man looking all giddy and nervous. To think such a thing would make him let all his guards down, Law wondered if the people in that world could be moved by the simplest, silliest thing imaginable.

"It's..actually soft. Is this real fur?" Ross asked, fiddling over the trimmed white fur by the hilt.

Law only nodded his head in response, marveling at the awkward noise Ross produced from that simple fact. He looked really pleased it made the Warlord see him as a silly child drooling over a piece of candy.

"You know, I'm suddenly curious. How and when did you obtain this thing?" Ross thought aloud, looking intently at the man in question.

Law kept quiet for a while. He had to argue in his head whether it was okay to disclose such personal matter. The sword was very important to him, not only because it was his key weapon but because it was the object that let him meet his most faithful companion, Bepo.

"It was when I wandered around North Blue." Law began, his eyes floating back to the said weapon. "There was this talking polar bear who led me to its _previous_ owner."

Ross hesitated. "...And you just took it? From the owner?"

"Of course I took it. Why else is it in my possession?" Law solemnly answered.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Ross looked dumbfounded, rendering himself speechless for a while before suddenly bursting in laughter. "Hahahaha! That's great! _Real great_! So awesome!"

"You seem pleased." Law wondered. It somehow surprised him to see the lad laugh.

"Yes, of course I'm pleased! I thought I was going to hear the cliched 'given by a very important person', I'm so glad it wasn't." Ross explained in between laughs. "Ah, mister Law, you're already changing my perspective about you. You're an interesting fellow, no wonder Elka likes you a lot." his laughter gradually subsided, wiping off the tears that carelessly dropped on his cheeks. "I could have liked you if you didn't harm her." Ross stated in monotone, avoiding Law's gaze. He still wanted to eliminate the dark doctor, but despite it he decided to call a truce between them. As much as he would like to give Law his hammer of judgment, keeping Elka satisfied weighed even more.

Besides, Law proved to be fairly interesting. It was enough to keep him entertained without initiating battle.

Law sighed. "I don't really mind. I'm not here to please anyone." he then looked over to Ross and asked, "You're not going to look at the blade?"

"I know this is a cursed blade. I can't carelessly unsheathe it." Ross replied, staring holes into the weapon. "Your devil fruit ability stayed true in this realm, your sword's curse should as well." he glanced at the Warlord and smiled, "Though I can be a bit reckless, I can't afford to die now."

Law wondered. "And why is that?"

Ross glared at him. "Because I don't want to leave Elka alone."

"You're a soldier." Law sneered.

"I know." Ross quickly replied. "That's why I train, to get stronger. That's why I climb up the ranks, to gain authority." he heaved a sigh and slightly smiled at himself, thinking how hilarious his declaration was. It sounded too noble, and he knew in himself it was only an excuse. The battlefield was practically a graveyard for most people but to him, it was a playground. In every encounter, he could lose his life but the exhilaration it offered was phenomenal. In every mission, he was bound to be caught off guard but the challenge it presented was exceptional. He loved war but he admitted he was still afraid of death - game over, as he interpreted it, and getting one in real life meant he was never going to have a 'retry' to experience more.

"Anyway, I just don't want to upset Elka. That's basically why I want to stay alive." Ross said, smiling at the dark doctor.

Law snorted, slightly perplexed at the lad's devotion to said woman, but he didn't want to dwell on it so he set it aside and took his _Kikoku_. He examined it for a while before finally pulling out the blade from its scabbard. Its silver sharp edge almost shining under the light, its ebony back exquisitely complementing the ivory. Ross gaped at Law's display, his blue eyes sparkling in delight. It was a decent blade, no, a beautiful blade - the most beautiful he'd ever seen. No replicas in their world could even compare to it and Ross was proud to have been given the opportunity to lay his eyes on such a majestic blade.

Satisfied with the lad's look, Law sheathed it back, ultimately holding it over his shoulder as a habit and pulling up the computer chair to take a seat.

"My turn." Law began. "To start, tell me about Elka- _ya_."

Ross blinked twice. "Elka? Not me?" he tilted his head in wonder. "So I was wrong. You were thinking about _her_ , huh?"

Law only closed his eyes in resignation.

Ross took a moment to organize his thoughts. "I think it'd be easier if you ask me specific questions. But frankly, I'm not very comfortable telling anything about Elka behind her back. You should just ask her in person."

"Then..." Law paused for a moment before continuing, "You're this building's owner's son, correct?"

Ross was astonished at the question. "Uh, why does it matter?"

"I remember Elka- _ya_ telling me this establishment is for 'girls' alone." Law stated.

"And?"

Law stared at the lad for a moment before continuing, "If you're the owner's son, why make an 'all-girls' institution?"

"Huh? Of course they can build any sort of institution they want. It's not like there are family-oriented legal terms to establish an all-girls dormitory. No one cares about the owners' children." Ross stated in a matter-of-factly way that slightly irked Law, making the lad giggle at the dark doctor's frown.

Ross found that getting on the Warlord's nerves was a lot of fun. He thought it was a nice payback for literally taking his heart. Law might have the upper hand, but his current situation limited his options and Ross wasn't going to let those small opportunities slip by untapped. Once he had enough of the glare that followed, he spoke again. "Right. I get it. On a serious note, you see, Mama wanted a daughter. Turns out she was infertile and couldn't conceive a child."

"What about you then? Aren't you her child?"

Ross smiled. "Oh, I _am_ her child." he sighed and went back to his previous agenda. "At least on paper."

Law had a vague understanding of what the redhead meant but it was obvious to him that Ross was saying he was adopted. Still, it baffled him that the mother wanted a daughter, yet she took a son instead.

"Listen, I understand you're curious about me but it won't help your search progress." Ross stated, taking a handful of boxes and broken statues in his arms. "But if you want to keep this up, then at least check these things. I'm not sure what they can do for you though."

Ross placed the objects over Elka's bed. There was the box Elka previously showed Law, and there were other boxes printed with his image but in different clothes, stance and sizes. There were also some broken parts of statues likened to himself, and tiny replicas of his weapon. Law decided to look into them while Ross went next to Elka's bookshelf.

"By the way, do you want to read this?" Ross asked, pulling out one volume of the One Piece series.

"No." was the quick reply from the Warlord. He was not interested and never will be.

Ross chuckled. "Right, I suppose you don't want to see it." he placed the volume back and instead went through Elka's key chain collection lined up at the bottom of the shelf.

"Ross- _ya_ , what about your father?" Law raised as he examined the boxes laid before him first. "You only ever talk about your mother."

"He's dead." was Ross's plain reply.

Grey eyes darted over Ross the instant he heard the lad's reply, but he saw nothing. Nothing changed on his face. Ross wore the same bored expression, making the Warlord wonder how Ross saw his father.

"...Did you hate him?"

"No."

Law waited, but Ross didn't say anymore. His answers were straight but felt too short. He knew he was too invading at that point so he decided to stop there, shifting his focus back to the objects that were right in front of him.

"...Papa was the one who picked me up and took me in." Ross suddenly announced. "He was a high-ranking official in the army and..he taught me a lot of stuff."

Law was surprised. "Why are you telling me this?"

"You asked." Ross simply replied, keeping his gaze over Elka's toy display.

Law fell silent. He grudgingly admitted that Ross was hard to decipher. The lad looked so nonchalant about the topic, he was unsure whether the boy was lying or not. There wasn't any point in all of it, true, but Law liked satisfying his curiosity.

"What else, you may ask." Ross glanced at Law over his shoulder, finding the dark doctor looking ever so slightly troubled. The sight made Ross grin. "I'm not as skilled with a knife compared with a gun." he announced rather proudly.

Law narrowed his eyes on the redhead. He was suspicious about the lad's statement. "You're..good with close combat, I reckon."

Ross shrugged his shoulders. "I'm still better with guns." he gave Law a condescending smile. "You'll know when I decide to face you with one."

"Interesting." Law smirked. "But let me give you a friendly reminder: I have a variety of ways to hurt." his tone cold.

Ross remembered their fight back on Chicken Kitchen. He felt goosebumps when Law exuded strong killing intent. Ross knew by then Law was going to kill him. Still, it amused him. Despite his offer to lend a hand, and even with the possibility of Elka rebelling against Law in case he did kill him off, the dark doctor was more than happy to take his life, giving little concern over the consequences that may follow.

And Ross _highly_ admired him for it.

"Still, though I seem so weak compared to you due to your world's circumstance," Ross paused for a moment, looking intensely towards the Warlord. "I've honed a particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a decade that makes me a nightmare for criminals like you."

There was a long pause as the two held their gazes on each other, but Ross's eyes didn't burn as much compared to their first encounter. He looked solemn and calm, no hatred or arrogance or judgment, just pure sincerity. It seemed it was a warning - a dutiful warning, no tricks or hidden agendas.

Soon, Ross broke eye contact and chuckled lightly. "Not too intimidating, am I?" he thought aloud. He scratched the back of his head and added, "Man, it could have sounded cool if you didn't have my heart."

"...Why do you hate criminals?"

Ross frowned. "Because they _are_ criminals."

Law didn't respond.

"I highly respect law." Ross paused for a moment, looking shocked as if he just said something weird. "Not you, but _the_ law. It's basically something people must obey."

Law smirked at the clarification. He liked the sound of Ross saying he 'highly respect' him, though he already knew the lad wasn't referring to him. "I know."

Ross continued. "I don't really 'hate' criminals. The law was made for a good reason and I think those who break it just don't deserve to breathe." he looked back at the shelf and picked up a particular keychain to show Law. "Besides, getting rid of criminals meant getting Elka away from harm." he let the object dangle under his fingers, making Law widen his eyes in shock.

"You..know what it looks like?"

"I'm pretty sure a book of devil fruits actually exists in your world." Ross quickly answered, handing over the keychain to the Warlord.

Law took it and inspected it. He was surprised at the great detail put into it despite its size. He knew about the book's existence but he thought since his devil fruit was dubbed 'the ultimate devil fruit' due to its great uniqueness and extreme value, it wouldn't have any precise illustration. It was so over-sought that he assumed fakes should have overshadowed valid ones.

"They even made a replica of it in its actual size, though of course, it was inedible." Ross explained as he watched Law carefully examining the object. "Not to mention, your _Kikoku_ has replicas as well. But of course, nothing beats the original. It looks really amazing in reality."

Law stared blankly at Ross. "Your world is quite...incredible, I must say..." it was indeed astonishing to Law, as the world he was in seemed to know overboard. He couldn't say he was terrified of it, but he could say he was impressed with the amount of information and accuracy they presented.

"I've gathered most things I think should at least help you out. I hope you find something among them, well, useful." Ross offered, gesturing towards the edge of the bed. "Also, I can tell you more if you want."

Law grew interested at the knowledge Ross was willing to offer him. Anything about his world's secrets was welcome to him, except, of course, the knowledge in regards to 'his future'. "Can you tell me anything particular about the World Government?"

Ross's eyes flashed when he recalled Law's association with a certain blonde Warlord. He hesitated, but the thought of the huge change that may happen drove his curiosity to its ceiling. "Sure. Any specifics?"

Law thought for a moment. "I'll be blunt. I want to know their weakness. Anything that may drop them to ruin."

Ross hummed. "And what will you do after this..conversation?"

"Simple." Law calmly smiled. "Destroy them."

=/=

"Your vitals seem stable. You can pretty much be discharged by tomorrow." Elka's attending physician announced after going through her records. "Still, I advice that you stay for another day to rest. Your stitches should be good but you'll have to avoid strenuous activities just to make sure they don't open." he explained.

Elka politely shook her head. "I have class tomorrow, doctor. I'd like to leave as soon as possible."

The doctor sighed. "It's true you're recovering at an unusually fast rate but please don't overdo it. Are you certain you'll be fine if we release you tomorrow?"

"Yes." Elka smiled. "I will have plenty of rest today anyway." she assured, making her attending physician smile in return.

"All right. I will be issuing your discharge tomorrow." he rose from his seat and wrote something on his paper. "I'd like you to control your meals for one whole day before going back to your usual diet. Don't carry anything too heavy and avoid running if you can."

"I will." Elka replied.

The doctor smiled. "Well then, please do follow my advice. It's just for a day, I'm sure you can."

Before the doctor left, Elka expressed her gratitude. Her attending physician graciously accepted, wishing her the best on her journey to Medicine until finally leaving.

Elka quickly pulled up her cell and dialed Ross's number once she was left alone in the room. It was almost three in the afternoon yet Ross hadn't messaged her since, making her worry. She couldn't really say nothing bad happened to the redhead, after all, she knew Ross could take a hit or two. She also believed, quite forcefully, that Law won't harm the young lad unnecessarily.

Unfortunately, Elka couldn't reach Ross's phone. She kept getting the same voice over notice and was forced to leave a message instead.

"Ross, if you hear this, please call me back asap." she muttered after the beep, rather worryingly.

Elka heaved a huge sigh as she let her hands fall on top of her lap. Although glaring at her cell won't do anything, she did anyway until her eyes were strained. She knew there was no use worrying over the two of them, both were good fighters anyway but the problem lies at their personalities. Honestly, Elka couldn't imagine them getting along. On the bright side, Law preferred looking at things objectively, especially if there was a benefit involved and Ross was pretty much the same. Still, for some reason, she couldn't shake off a strange feeling. The silence in her room was uncanny, it was as if the calm before a storm. Elka was once again faced with her utter weakness, someone who couldn't accomplish anything except waiting, and praying for the best.

=/=

Trafalgar Law was both shocked and devastated by what Ross had told him. He couldn't fathom how the most hateful man in his universe held something so valuable.

"Ross- _ya_ , I swear, if this is a lie-"

"Hey, I only gave you a hint." Ross casually replied, cutting off the Warlord's frantic statement. "It's not like _he's_ the only who knows their 'secret'."

"Then who else?!" Law almost snarled, his temper clearly running out.

Ross shrugged, "Don't know. Maybe you can grab some random Celestial Dragon and ask-"

Law grabbed Ross by the collar, yanking him over the mattress. He forced the hilt of his sword against the redhead's neck. "I'm not in the mood for jokes."

Ross smiled wryly at him. "For once, you look genuinely terrified mister Law."

"Keep talking nonsense and I'll give you a slow, painful death." Law hissed, gradually pushing down his weapon over Ross's throat.

Ross immediately grabbed the hilt when his airway felt like it was shrinking. It seemed Law wasn't really trying to subdue him as he easily lifted the object, making him smirk at the thought. He shoved the weapon aside and rolled over to the other side of the bed.

Law didn't bother to go after the young lad, instead, he took out Ross's heart and gradually applied pressure on it, eliciting a grunt of pain from the redhead.

"It would be best to avoid provoking me. I can only hold my patience for so long." he declared, finally giving a more forceful squeeze on the organ in his hand.

Ross almost screamed at the pain. He almost fell over when a sharp pain shot up to his chest, only managing to support his body against the wall. Seconds later, the pain subsided but it left him almost breathless.

Law sat back over the mattress. "Feel like talking now?"

"Look, I'm not certain what this 'national treasure' is." Ross rasped. "All I know is that flamingo knows it because he attacked ships transporting tributes for the World Government."

Law's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "I thought you knew everything about our world."

"I never said that." Ross replied, catching his breath. "There were still a few things about your world that's unclear, and _that_ thing is one of them."

Law had to take a moment, rather, a long while to compose himself and organize his thoughts. Doflamingo was the one man he most desired to see dead, yet at present, it's revealed to him that the devil himself held the knowledge he needed to destroy the World Government. He never knew about 'joker' attacking World Noble's ships, and it never crossed him that such secret existed.

" _Did you know? That blonde flamingo you hate so much knows about the World Government's little secret: 'the National Treasure of Mariejois'. Maybe you two could talk about it over tea."_

Ross's voice played on repeat inside his head. With that mere statement, more questions were raised. If Doflamingo knew about it, why was he still a Warlord? Or, is it because the World Government was unaware that Doflamingo knew about their 'treasure'? And why isn't Doflamingo doing anything about it? If he had such knowledge, why isn't he making a move on the World Nobles? Why is he still playing pirate? Does that mean this secret isn't anything big? Law may never know the answers to these questions.

Suddenly, Ross jumped when he felt a strong vibration over his chest. He couldn't remember when he switched his phone to 'vibrate' mode. He gestured at Law for a ceasefire, to which the Warlord unexpectedly accepted.

When Ross pulled his phone out of his jacket's inner pocket, he found on its screen displayed a name 'Jack'. If that shitty hacker was calling him, it must be urgent.

"Yes, this is Ross Maris speaking." Ross immediately answered.

"Lieutenant, where are you right now?" a male voice from the other end replied.

Ross hesitated. "...Outside. Why?"

"I managed to crack the code from these gasoline purchases and found the potential hideout of the terrorists behind the GreemBills bombing. I'm sending you the coordinates. Check it out if you will."

The news pleased the redhead. "Have you told anyone yet?"

"Nope. I contacted you first, ginger." there was a brief noise of clicking keys before the voice continued, "And I'm preparing to send out the coordinates to your 'men'. You can thank me later."

"Hold on, weren't you told? We're not supposed to-"

"Yeah." was the immediate reply, curtly cutting off the redhead. "But I know you. You can't sit still so I figured, might as well lead you."

Ross smiled. "The place is probably deserted by now. We're up against smart guys for a change."

" _Eh_ , you're still going, right?"

Ross remained silent.

"Of course you are. Dumb question."

The response tugged Ross's lips into a wry smile. "...I'll call you back later."

"Don't make too much mess!" Jack forewarned.

Ross smiled. "You know, you're gonna get yourself fired."

"Of course I'm dragging you with me." Jack quipped. "Don't accidentally get killed, ginger."

Ross let out a short laugh as he ended the call.

"Who was that?" Law inquired.

"Someone you don't know." Ross plainly replied, deciding it wasn't worth explaining to the dark doctor.

"If we're done here, where to next?" Law asked.

Ross was quite surprised with Law's question. "I thought Elka only asked you to search her room. Was there any place-" he stopped himself when he took a second glance over his phone.

There was a voice mail from Elka.

Ross immediately dialed her number without even bothering hearing her voice mail. He can already imagine the wrinkles on the girl's forehead, extremely worried being unable to reach him.

Right after the first ring, Elka picked up.

"Ross! Are you okay!?" Elka almost shouted over the phone, leaving Ross no room to speak his usual line.

"Elka, I'm sorry if you've been trying to reach me. I was just talking to someone on the phone." Ross looked at Law and mouthed the words: ' _talk to her_ '.

Law was surprised, he couldn't believe it when Ross held out his phone towards his direction. Obviously, Law hesitated, leaving the young lad's hand hanging.

"Ross? Is everything okay? What about doctor?"

Elka's voice streamed from the phone, making Law flinch. He looked at Ross once more, and with a firm nod, took the phone off the lad's hand. He carefully placed it over his ear and spoke, "Elka- _ya_ , it's me."

"Doctor?"

Elka's voice seemed to have soothed Law's nerves. "Yes. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. What about you? And Ross? What happened? Are you two okay? Did anything happen? Anything at all? Where are you right now? How is the search coming along?"

Elka bombarded the dark doctor questions seemingly hard to answer at present, not only because he was confused with the redhead suddenly hurrying out of the room but also because he was shaken by the information he got from the same person.

"Doctor? Are you still there? Can you hear me?"

Law sighed. He figured he had to set his disarrayed thoughts aside for the meantime. "...Calm down, Elka- _ya_. One question at a time."

Elka paused for a moment. "Doctor, did you hurt Ross?"

Law felt his eyes widen in shock. The girl's intuition was spot on. He wasn't sure what to tell her, but he knew it was best to keep their fight secret. "No."

Elka waited until she realized it was Law, a man of few words - 'no' was the only answer she'll ever get. "...Did you two fight?"

"No."

"Can I talk to him?"

Law hummed. Ross just left the room. Although the lad did gesture he was going to return, he didn't really know what he was up to. "I think something came up. He just left and gave me this..device I'm using to talk with you right now."

Elka frowned. "So..where are you right now?"

"Your room."

"And how was your search?" Elka asked.

"Not good. I didn't get anything out of your things."

"...I'm sorry to hear that." Elka sighed. "Are you..coming back here?"

"There's no other place I can go to at the moment." Law simply replied, pausing when Ross finally came back wearing a long, seemingly heavy tan coat. "Oh-"

"Keep talking to her." Ross hissed low, putting his index finger over his lips.

Law raised his eyebrows in both surprise and wonder, remaining quiet as he didn't know what to say next.

"Doctor?"

"It's nothing." Law cleared his throat. "So, uh, there's something I want to ask you when we meet again." he stuttered. It was hard to think of any topic to stall time.

"Huh? Can't you just ask me now?" Elka didn't understand why Law was being vague at the moment. She knew he was a blunt man, and she found it suspicious with him acting strangely opposite of his character.

"...It's something I want to hear from you in person." Law almost cursed after hearing his own words. It sounded weird and sappy and inappropriate he wanted to slap himself in the face.

Elka blushed. She didn't really know how to interpret it but she could only think of something, well, romantic and/or dramatic if people talked about something 'hearing in person', be it a negative or positive thing. "Um, okay."

Not later, Ross seemed to have finished his business and asked Law to hand over the phone. Without further delay, Law returned it and quietly observed the young lad as he conversed with the woman on the other line. He was curious of why Ross changed suit and the black cloth he was carrying while he spoke with Elka on the phone.

"Hello, it's Ross speaking." Ross began.

"Oh, Ross. So, how did the search go? And are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine." he glanced at Law. "Both of us are fine but, it seems mister Law didn't find anything. I'm sorry, Elka."

"That's okay." Elka replied. "You did everything you can. Thanks for helping out, Ross."

"Anytime." he walked through the door and beckoned Law. "I'll send mister Law back to the hospital. I still have something to do so I can't see you today. I'm sorry."

"Please stop apologizing. It's not your fault."

"I can take mister Law to the second bus stop. I'll contact you when we part ways."

"Okay." was the only word Elka could reply. Ross suddenly seemed to be in a bit of rush, and although she was worried, she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Ross caught on, prompting him to add, "Stop worrying. It's nothing serious."

 _But you always say that._ Elka thought. Ross had had the habit of speaking that line every time she worried about him. It wasn't like she didn't believe him, there were times that she did worry over something so trivial. But the redhead also said the same thing whenever he's called on the Special Forces Headquarters, and even when he got hurt yesterday due to a 'punishment' as he claimed.

"...Just stay safe, both of you." she then ended the call.

Ross was frozen for a whole minute, letting her weak voice linger on his ear. He understood her worry, and it pained him. Elka had a sharp intuition, that's one reason he couldn't let anything slip if he wanted to hide something from the girl, if he wanted to avoid upsetting her.

"We'll part ways, huh?" Law thought aloud, breaking Ross's thoughts.

"No." Ross replied, making Law look warily at him. "Come with me for a while. Though I hate to ask, I'm..going to need your assistance."

Law was interested. "Assistance for?"

"You'll know when we get there. Also," Ross unfolded the black silk cloth he brought. It was a sword bag case, fairly long but only enough to cover the length of Law's _Kikoku_ to its scabbard, leaving the hilt visible. "Bring along your blade. Use this to cover it, even if the hilt's visible, people will think it's fake."

Law was pleased. He wasn't very comfortable walking around such unfamiliar territory without the weapon he's most familiar with. It also amused him, to think Ross would allow him to carry his weapon, it proved that the redhead cared little about peace, nor for his well-being - he could very well use the weapon to end his life, yet the lad chose to let him carry it.

Soon, the two reached the garage situated by the building entrance where a slick, black motorcycle was parked. Conveniently, there were two motorcycle helmets for them to use. Law was not familiar with it so he asked, to which Ross simplified as 'a bicycle with an engine'.

"The place isn't too far. We'll get there under an hour if the traffic's good." Ross announced as he hopped onto his bike. He taught Law how to wear the helmet as he wore his and instructed the Warlord to keep still or he might get thrown off.

"I assume we're going to fight." Law stated, he sounded confident.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Ross answered.

"Does Elka- _ya_ know?"

Ross fired the engine and they took off, leaving the question unanswered.

=/=

The ride wasn't very long, in fact, it only took them half an hour to reach their destination. Ross stopped by at a junk shop, a fair distance from a certain run-down building just across the street. He parked his bike behind a stack of old tires and plastic bottles that was left by the shop's entrance.

"Mister Law, I'd like you to wait out here for the time being." Ross told Law when they both removed their helmets. He looked at the Warlord and added, "If you hear two consecutive gunshots, use your ability to teleport inside the building."

"You plan to use me as a distraction?" Law's tone was laced with displeasure.

"Not quite." Ross replied, gesturing for Law to hop off the bike. "I told you, I need assistance. And by assistance, I mean someone who can look out for escapees."

Law lightly hummed. "Escapees, huh?" he got off the vehicle and observed the vicinity. It was practically deserted, and the buildings around seemed neglected, but he still detected a few souls present at the area.

"This place is..the potential hideout of the people who bombed the place you and Elka were previously in." Ross explained. "Initially, I just want you to take care of anyone who comes out from the building, but if the situation gets hairy, I'll fire two consecutive shots. That's when you enter the building as well."

"...Which building, exactly?"

Ross gazed at a certain wide, long building that looked to be an unfinished factory. Law followed his gaze and scrutinized the establishment.

"So I'm just going to stay here?"

"This might be a trap as well so it's better if only one of us bites." Ross looked over to his phone and smiled. "Two of my men will be here soon so, it's good to leave someone out here to greet them."

"You're going in alone?" Law asked as he watched Ross take out a pair of black gloves from one of the many pockets on his tan coat and wore them on.

"Why not?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Finals are over! **Yay**! It's my Semestral break (which is practically my Christmas break as well), um, yay! Anyway, I don't even know what I'm doing right now. My drafts seemed fine when I first made them but now I began rewriting them like what am I doing? I've rewritten this chapter a hundred times until I came to this..development. My initial premise is still there but meh, I don't even know what. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry for the delay, this isn't even probably worth the wait, haha.

 _P.S. I'd like everyone to know that yes, I do read reviews from time to time and it makes me happy to know that people **are** reading this stuff. Just knowing someone took their time to read what I wrote is already rewarding, to be honest, and your reviews are just added bonus. I do like knowing what you think about my writing, my story and if there's anything you want me to improve. I'm essentially a beginner trying to be as good as the next writer so, feel free to comment whatever the fuck you want. **To sum it all up, thank you very much for your time and for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Omen**

 _ **Twelfth Sign**_

"I knew I should have visited Elka instead." Ross grumbled to himself soon as he found the place to be deserted.

A little earlier, Ross surveyed the area. Not later, he learned that the door was unlocked which led him to consider two things: one, he's going to get sniped in any second; two, he's already too late. He was leaning more on the former, making him put his combat knife to use. He opened the door slightly and through the small gap, the knife's blade peeked through, its stainless steel reflecting the other side.

There was nothing.

Ross cautiously peered through the gap and saw nothing striking from his own two eyes. He waited, but the gunshots he expected never came. Letting himself in, he observed his surroundings. The premises was quiet, too quiet it left the young lieutenant wondering if his initial thoughts were true. He remained vigilant, careful in each step he took. The place was spacious, and fairly empty but despite this, there were signs of life left within the building. There were tables and chairs, lamps, scattered papers, bottles of wine and water, glasses and rags - it seemed there were people using it not long ago.

"Man, I wonder when they left." Ross mumbled to himself as he picked up an empty bottle of vodka sitting over a pile of crumpled and torn papers. "They sure had some celebration." he thought aloud, looking at a torn newspaper with yesterday's bombing as its headlines.

Ross continued to look around, hoping to find some clues of their whereabouts, or hopefully, their future plans. Ross had always been thorough in such cases, believing any simple, tiny detail could guide him to their complete annihilation. He knew it was akin to what detectives do, and he did consider himself becoming one if he wasn't already married to war.

As the redhead was rummaging through the scattered papers over a table with a lamp left alight, he caught a small flash from the corner of his eye. He knew what that flash was, prompting him to crouch down and find shelter.

"Show yourself, intruder!" the man shouted, keeping his gun pointed to the direction Ross hid into.

Naturally, Ross was carrying a gun of his own, but he never had any intentions of using it. He liked using his own fists, and possibly a knife despite sucking at it. Another thing, he didn't want to alert the dark doctor who was watching outside. There was only one opponent, he knew he could take care of it himself.

"I said show yourself!" the man shouted again, firing his gun once to the edge of the upturned table as warning.

Ross whistled when he saw the mark that was left by the bullet inches away from where his hand was. The accuracy was almost on his level, and luckily, a silencer must be attached on that gun he's using. The noise of his shot wasn't as loud as one would expect from your typical hand pistol, no wonder the muzzle flash was small as well.

Receiving no response and seeing no movement, the man gingerly took a step forward, pausing for three seconds max before moving another foot forward. He was wary, and prepared, it was proof that he was used to these kinds of encounters - probably a veteran.

Ross had a plan, a bold one. He grabbed an empty bottle and took out his combat knife. He had noticed the opponent's caution evidence by the rate he was moving and Ross knew he could take a chance by throwing his opponent's rhythm off. It was risky, but he knew his own speed.

After the fourth footstep, Ross threw the bottle over, and the man quickly responded by shooting it down, glass shattering before him. Ross wasted no time and dashed towards his opponent but the man had fast reflexes, immediately pulling the trigger at the sight of the rushing redhead. Ross would run in a diagonal path, two bullets grazing him by the arm and his temple respectively until he closed their gap, forcing his enemy to step back.

Ross swung his right, aiming for the man's jaw only to be blocked by the small pistol. The man grunted, throwing a fist against Ross's face to which the lad easily dodged. He gripped the man's wrist and stomped over his foot, eliciting a wince of pain from his opponent, giving him the opening he needed to dig his blade to his side deep enough to pierce through his spleen. The redhead left his knife stuck on his enemy's side and forcefully removed the pistol from his hand.

The man fell down on his knees, blood trickling down beneath him. He was still awake, his breathing labored, his energy drained. He glared up at the redhead who immediately pointed the pistol he previously owned against his forehead.

"Listen pal, I don't do torture so it'd be great if you tell me where your leader is before drawing your last breath." Ross spoke, his voice smooth.

The man silently glowered at the young lad. Even with blood pooling on his mouth, he kept his lips pursed.

"Where is your leader?" Ross asked patiently.

"I'd rather die!" the man snarled, spitting into Ross's sleeve.

The young lieutenant wordlessly fired the pistol over the man's forehead in point blank range, blood sprayed over the weapon, his gloved hand up to his coat's arm sleeve. He watched the man slump against the hard floor lifeless. The whole scene made Ross sigh in dismay.

"This is why I can never work as a detective." Ross discarded the pistol and retrieved his knife from the man's corpse. He took his time examining the man's features, recognizing the foreign color of his eyes. It did cross him that the terrorists may be getting help from outside but he didn't expect the neighboring nation was backing them. Still, it was only one man so he couldn't rule it out yet, but he was confident in his assumption.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang from the direction the man he took down came from, a bullet scraping his shoulder.

 _Shoot, there was another one!_ Ross hurriedly picked up the pistol he just discarded and took shelter on the upturned table he previously hid in. He couldn't believe he got shot, cursing himself for letting his guard down. He carefully peeked from the side and saw the man standing quite a few ways from him, making him click his tongue in annoyance. Ross had to take him out in one shot or Law was going to get alerted.

=/=

Trafalgar Law was leaning against the motorcycle with his gaze fixed at the building's entrance. Ever since the redhead disappeared into it, he had been on edge. He could sense the presence of a handful men coming from the building's direction thanks to his _observation haki_ but they had small energy signature, making it harder for him to pinpoint their exact number. In spite this, Law could sense Ross clearly as he emitted a much larger energy signature to his amusement. He almost wanted to enter the building in secret just to be able to watch the redhead fight, get outnumbered and fall to his knees in defeat.

Not later, he sensed hostility and figured a shot was fired. Once. And then followed by another one after a minute. Law could tell it wasn't the redhead who did the shooting but he was getting bored with just waiting.

Another whole minute or so past, there was another gunshot, and Law knew Ross was the one who fired. Sensing the other signature quickly vanish right after the shot, Law proceeded to move closer to the building to allow him for a clearer sense of their presence. He could count the dead and the living on the other side of the door right before him, and he could tell Ross's position as his 'aura' burned a bright red among all others.

Law stood by, awaiting the right moment to bust in. Initially, he didn't want to help out. He had planned to forsake the redhead even if he fired the signal, but upon realizing Ross could actually take care of the opponents lurking inside the building, he wanted to just throw him off by showing up in the most unexpected time and place.

Four minutes and the clock kept ticking. Law was already growing irritated. It wasn't about waiting anymore, it was about Ross effectively wiping out the enemies _without_ firing his gun _twice in a row_. Technically, he did fire them a few times but it always took him one shot for each of them, making the dark doctor realize how the redhead never intended to call him for help.

"And he said there might be escapees." Law muttered to himself, putting both palms on the door contemplating whether it was fine to shove it open by then. Sure, Ross was handling things fairly well but he was taking his time. And although Law could be patient, he was not the type to miss out in such fun.

" _Room._ "

A vivid light aura swiftly expanded around Law, engulfing the whole building in the process. He sensed Ross's heightened caution, making his lips curl into a smile. Ross began stepping back, how curious.

" _Shambles._ "

And Law stood right in front of the redhead who immediately scowled at the Warlord, making him chuckle at the sight.

"What the fuck?!" one shouted, firing his gun towards the uninvited guest but the bullet never reached him.

Law snorted at the futile attempt. He turned around to face them but before he could even unsheathe his sword, Ross rushed upfront and began to take them down one by one, slashing their side, limb and every muscle he could as he ran past them. Law was frozen still, his eyes growing wide as he watched the redhead do the deed until the last man standing fell on his knees. Law retracted his room and found himself grinning at the performance.

"I did not call for you." Ross stated, slightly irritated.

"I was bored." Law smugly replied.

Ross only glared at Law but decided to let it go. He examined the last three men he felled, scolding himself at the back of his head when he found two of them slashed by their necks. He then counted in his head, leaving the tenth and last one as the unlucky winner.

"Where is your leader?" Ross asked, squatting by the dying man's side.

The man glowered at Ross, keeping his mouth shut.

This made Ross tiredly sigh. He grabbed the man by his hair and lifted his head, forcing him to look at Law's way. Ross then muttered to his ear, "Listen, I can't do torture. That guy though, he can do much worse, so just tell me where your leader is and your death shall come swift."

The man smirked at the statement. "Is that a threat? Ha! That's too kind for a dog such as yourself!"

Ross gave him a patient smile and punched the man's wounded side, earning him a groan of pain from his victim. "Where is your leader?" he asked again.

"Die!" the man instantly pointed a gun against Ross's face and pulled the trigger.

Ross flinched, certain he was dead by then. He fell back on his bottom, blinking in confusion. The shot never happened, a blade of otherworldly beauty was between him and the gun, the muzzle fell off - Law cut the barrel even before the man could pull the trigger.

"You owe me one, Ross- _ya_." Law proceeded to dig his sword over the man's shoulder, to which the man responded with a scream as he attempted to remove the blade causing him excruciating pain.

Ross was frozen still. He gaped at the blade as if it was alien to him. Not even the grunts and moans of the man in pain could pull him out of his shock until it finally sunk in that he was still alive.

Law spared Ross a sideways glance before pulling his blade out of the man's shoulder and swinging it, flecks of blood sprayed over the floor. "Are we done here?" he asked, looking at his victim.

Taking a deep breath, Ross regained his composure and approached the man once more asking for the third time, "Where is your leader?"

The man was gritting his teeth, probably both in fear and frustration. "Heartless bastard!" he growled, glaring menacingly at the redhead.

Ross raised his eyebrows for a moment, but his surprise was quickly replaced by amusement. "Well, you're not wrong." he pulled out his own gun and shot the man in the head, instantly killing him. "But I'm getting it back soon."

Ross puffed a breath as he stood up. He stretched for a bit, commenting how his back felt stiff for a moment there before crouching down again to wipe his weapon clean using the dead man's shirt. Meanwhile, Law observed their surroundings for a moment. He detected several energy signatures coming from outside and he decided to alert the young lad.

"Ross- _ya_ -"

As if on cue, when Law called Ross, the door opened revealing five men clad in army combat uniform, complete with helmet and ballistic goggles, with guns in hand, all of which pointed their weapons against Law and Law alone.

"The man with the _katana_! Stand down!" one demanded, gesturing to Law's weapon. "Throw your weapon and put your hands up! Now!"

Law frowned at the greeting. He decided to demonstrate his power instead, but a gloved hand appeared against his face, stopping him.

"It's okay. He's with me." Ross announced, gesturing at the men. He placed his hand over Law's blade and guided it towards his neck. "See? Now put away your weapons. He's not an enemy."

Immediately, all men stood down without further delay. Ross smiled at their unquestioned obedience. He glanced up at a stunned Law before flicking the blade away from his neck and proceeded to move towards his men.

"I'm already done here. I'll leave the rest to you." Ross stated as he began removing his bloodied gloves, shoving them to one of the many pockets on his coat. They all saluted to him, simultaneously responding positively in perfect sync.

"Also, a report sir!" the man closest to the approaching redhead spoke up. "The government decided that the special forces take part with eliminating the terrorists. Just now, we received word that terrorists hijacked the City Wings Airlines this afternoon containing multiple hostages."

Ross was shocked with the news. "City Wings?"

"Luke city governor Ryan Tielmon and his family is scheduled to fly with City Wings Airlines today."

Ross hummed. "Have our forces arrived at the scene?"

"Yes sir! The police were there first but it seems the terrorists are not interested with negotiations."

"They're not demanding anything?" Ross looked confused.

"No sir. They haven't even made any statements yet."

"Then at least make sure they don't fly any of the planes."

Swiftly, a sixth person came in running with a radio in his hands. He gave his lieutenant a brief salute before speaking. "Excuse me, sir, but Raven wishes to speak with you." he quickly handed over the radio.

"It's Ross. Something happened?" Ross began, glancing back at the Warlord who only quietly moved closer as he unsheathed his sword.

"Captain, it's bad! They flew the plane!" it was a female's voice.

 _And to think I just mentioned that._ Ross thought as he glanced over his watch. "Just now?" he asked.

"Ten minutes past! I've been trying to reach you since!" she answered. "I had sir Jack track the plane's route, and according to him it's headed to En city."

Ross stiffened at the mention of the city. He knew the buildings standing there too well and one of them just happened to be a 'certain' hospital.

"The plane barely gained an altitude! They're planning to ruin the city!" the woman added.

Ross waved a hand to his men and moved out of the building. "How long do we have before impact?"

"Sixteen minutes!"

 _Shit, that's too soon!_ Ross cursed, his steps getting faster by the second. "Listen Raven, help with the emergency evacuation. I'm assuming the police already initiated it. Make sure all buildings are vacated. We have to minimize the casualties. I'll be there under ten minutes."

"Yes sir!"

"And one more thing," Ross's voice slightly shook. "Supervise the evacuation at En hospital. I need you to make sure everyone gets out of there alive, be they hospital staff or patient. Understood?"

"Understood!"

Ross looked at his watch again after ending the conversation. He returned the radio back to his soldier and gestured at Law to wait by the motorcycle as he ran towards the two armored vehicles parked by the side street. He gave out orders and instructions, with which they were all fully prepared to obey even before he announced them. He wore a wireless radio on one ear and immediately after, he hopped onto his bike, wore on the helmet and tossed the other one towards Law who was just about to ride on the back as well.

"What's the rush?" Law inquired.

Ross started the engine. "I'll explain on the way."

Law hummed. "This has to be the first time I see you panic like this." he wore the helmet and finally hopped on, to which the engine immediately roared.

"It's Elka. She's in danger." Ross shouted as soon as they reached the main road.

"In danger?"

Ross clenched his teeth in both anger and frustration. "It's a fucking plane, practically a huge missile aimed at her."

Law seemed surprised. "A missile aimed at her? Why would anyone go all the trouble?" he wasn't sure whether he'd be worried or amused. It felt like it's been years since he had encountered the New World's crazy and it was refreshing, to say the least.

Ross was not amused though. "That's beside the point! A plane could destroy a tower head-on _and_ the surrounding buildings with its wings! You have no idea how huge a passenger aircraft can be."

Law remained quiet. He could only imagine the whole scene in his head.

Ross, on the other hand, felt very angry and frustrated. He couldn't fathom how he'd be able to get around it and save Elka. If he had the information in advance, he could have made a plan or something to counter the terrorists' attack.

"Mister Law, you value Elka, right? I'm really going to need your help this time and by 'help' I mean your devil fruit ability." The young lieutenant felt so humiliated, so mortified upon genuinely asking Law for help. Law's powers were supernatural - Law was a supernatural being himself, but with the predicament at hand, Ross knew only Law's power can stand against Elka's tragic fate. If the Warlord was able to lift a marine battleship in the One Piece world, he should be able to stop a plane. At least that's what Ross wanted to believe. He couldn't accept it in himself, that in the end, he couldn't truly protect Elka. He was powerless compared to the dark doctor; he could never hope to protect the woman he cherishes the most to a certain scale. He was human. Very ordinary. And it made him curse the restrictions to his abilities as a normal human being.

Law seemed contemplating over the statement. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"All right, question! Can you lift a marine battleship? You know, the huge ones."

Law huffed. "Of course I can."

"Then it's settled!" Ross quickly replied. "Lift the aircraft! That's all I can think of as of now."

"I hope you're aware that I can't hold it up for very long."

"Then do you think you can just, well, I don't know, slow it down and land it somewhere else?" Ross seemed indecisive. "Or after lifting it just slowly put it down?"

Law thought for a while. "That's a lot of options. Unfortunately, I have no idea what an aircraft is. I'll think about it once I see it."

=/=

Meanwhile, at the hospital where Elka was recuperating, an emergency evacuation commenced. The government declared a 'state of emergency' to En city and wasted no time to evacuate the residents.

Elka's room was at the fifth floor - private suites were on the upper floors of any establishments in their city. When she heard the announcement, she calmly got up and went for the window to see what was happening below. People were lined up in an orderly fashion and were guided by police officers towards each side of the streets and cars were cleared off the roads. She gazed ahead and could make out a barricade far off. She was confused of what the problem was, but she knew it was best to just obey.

Not later, a knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ardela." a nurse entered. "We'll have to vacate this building immediately. Please follow me, ma'am."

Elka turned to the nurse and nodded, and then a large shadow engulfed her room. Elka could already guess after seeing the mix of panic and horror from the nurse's face. She had enough courage to look back and felt her eyes grow larger as she gazed at the huge nose of an aircraft that was threatening to crash against her head-on. The young doctor couldn't fathom how it was truly happening in real time. She always thought such outrageous things only happened in movies, _mangas,_ or in the news. But thinking about it, the news were real life too.

 _Is this it? Will I die?_ Elka was frozen in panic. The plane was flying towards her and she could see the flight deck and a fourth of its body. It was gigantic, she knew she would get crushed under it if it tumbles right after the crash. There was no escape.

Seconds past and Elka realized that the plane was frozen on the spot as well. It stopped moving just as its nose was about to kiss her window. She was confused but stopped herself from mulling over it.

"L-Let's go now!" Elka yelled, not only for the nurse but also for herself. She finally felt her legs, and without further ado, Elka turned to her heels and followed the nurse out of the room.

Just thinking about how planes crash made her shiver in fear. Even if she did manage to get out of the hospital, the explosion might catch up to her. Elka knew accidents happen, of course they do. They may happen to anyone, anytime and in any form and she couldn't help but complain of how extreme it was. It gave her the impression of death stubbornly chasing after her, and with its continued failure, it had to resort to extreme means.

But she didn't want to die. She had dreams, she had so many things she wanted to do and wanted to experience. And above all, she was afraid of death. She didn't understand the concept and she doubted the belief of an afterlife existing. And she didn't want her puny existence to end just like that. That's why she cannot die - she didn't want to die. And so, she ran. She ran to escape her doom.

=/=

Ross and Law successfully arrived at the scene at the most critical moment. They were caught in a huge traffic jam because of the roadblock. Fortunately, Ross knew a shortcut, and although it was a bit hard to traverse those tiny alleys, they somehow managed.

By the time they got past through the barricades, they witnessed the plane went into a nosedive towards the hospital in which Elka was in. Its wings grazed the adjacent buildings, shattering windows and making it rain shards of glasses on each sides. With Ross screaming in alarm, Law quickly created his 'room' and performed a lifting motion with his index finger. The effect was subtle and slow that Ross abruptly stopped the vehicle and hopped off.

"How long can you hold it?!" Ross shouted as he began running.

"Five minutes!" was Law's immediate reply, holding the stance as he got off the bike as well.

"That's too short! Make it longer!" Ross argued but picked up his speed anyway.

Law didn't bother to reply. The redhead was already too far off from him, he doubted he would hear him even if he screamed at the top of his lungs. Besides, he had to concentrate if he wanted to keep the aircraft in place. For a moment, he admired the airborne vehicle. He took in the whole view of such foreign form of destruction, a refreshing design of chaos. Somehow, he was feeling euphoric from the crazy turn of events despite the knowledge of his only key getting decimated under all of the airplane's glory.

 _So this is an airplane._ He thought as he observed his surroundings next and decided to just place it down on the spot. Still, he had to wait for the remaining people, the military and police officers to move out of the way. The dark doctor knew Elka would see it somehow and he didn't want to get a scolding from her.

Ross made his way towards the hospital and found both military and police officers continuing the evacuation process despite the looming crisis. Keeping the people moving in spite of themselves was valiant enough.

But majority of the civilians were frozen stiff, blankly staring at the impending doom above them. This irked Ross, as he didn't want the efforts of his men go to waste.

"Everyone! That plane isn't going to stay up there for long! The pilots are doing their best to stall time so please keep moving!" Ross boldly announced despite the outright lie. Of course it wasn't the pilots, it was someone with supernatural powers stalling time. Still, it managed to shake them up and encouraged them to flee the area. Although Ross was unsure of what Law plans to do with the aircraft next, his head was only filled with keeping Elka safe.

Ross ran inside the hospital and found Raven, one of his men, leading the hospital staffs. He quickly ran up to her and asked, "Is this everyone?"

"Captain!" Raven quickly saluted. "People from the private floors are already going down through the stairs as we speak, sir!"

Ross almost gasped in astonishment. He thought the upper floors always took priority. "All right. Keep them moving." he then proceeded to go upstairs, keeping his eyes sharp for any signs of Elka. As he moved up a floor, he hoped he'd see her running down the stairs. Otherwise, he'd probably go crazy finding her in her room still.

"Ross!" a female's voice called from below.

Ross turned back to see the owner of such a familiar voice and was relieved to find Elka. He broke into a smile despite the panic and tension enveloping the place. "Elka. It's good to see you."

"Ross, what's happening? Why is a plane-"

Ross decisively grabbed Elka's hand and dragged her downstairs. "Please forgive me for this. I'll explain later."

Elka caught a glimpse of the deep furrows that formed over the lad's forehead. It was the first time she actually saw him that worried it made her feel guilty. She gently squeezed his hand as a form of reassurance to which the redhead squeezed back as they found their way out of the building.

"That's mister Law's doing." Ross stated as they got out, gazing up at the levitating aircraft. "We owe him a lot." he added as he led Elka to where he left the Warlord.

Elka looked at the plane and then at the visible light blue aura that surrounded the area, her lips threatening to break into a smile as she thought about Law helping her people. Despite being a criminal himself, there was still some good in him. And although she already knew that from the _manga_ he came from, she felt better seeing and experiencing it firsthand.

Not later, Law could see the redhead and Elka coming his way. Seeing the woman running behind Ross made him release a sigh of relief. Although it seemed he was calm about the crisis at hand, he was at least worried of Elka's well-being. Her death might as well mean his death too so keeping her alive was a top priority.

As soon as Ross sighted Law, he shouted at the man, "Cut its wings!"

Ross's voice cut through the scattered noises even from afar. Law smirked at the idea and proceeded to do as he suggested, quickly unsheathing his sword and performed two swift slices into the air. In that instant, both wings were torn from the main body and fell off on each side, leaning against the tall buildings it previously scraped. The damage done to said buildings were minimal as the descent of both wings seemed slowed and guided, helping it endure the wing weight.

Soon, the three of them were finally reunited.

"Doctor! I'm so glad you're helping out! Thank you very much!" Elka quickly bowed her head to the Warlord. She was happy, although her mind dictated it wasn't really the time for celebration as the crisis wasn't completely averted yet.

Law only nodded. "I'm planning to put it down soon." he stated, throwing Ross a meaningful glance.

Ross got the message. "Just change the angle slightly to our direction, and then you can put it down. I'll arrange my men to surround the aircraft." he told Law as he pulled out a radio under his coat and channeled his troops to their position. When he was done, he looked at Elka and told her to remain there. Due to his responsibilities as one of the officials in the army, Ross explained he had to be closer to the scene leading his platoon to which Elka readily agreed. With that out of the way, he looked pointedly at Law before finally leaving the two of them.

Elka silently watched Ross shrink from her sight. She solemnly stared at the descending aircraft and its surroundings. She felt her heart sinking from each crashing sounds, metal clanks and then the noises of engines of armored cars and police vehicles that swiftly surrounded the plane. She couldn't understand why terrorists exist. She thought they could all live properly if they just obey the rules, if they just communicate properly, if they just wait.

But then again, waiting was horrible. You never know if what you're waiting for will ever come, so they had to act. They had to take it into their own hands to get what they want. And it pained her. The concept of contentment was subjective, and it varied to each man. If only they could understand each other better, there would be no need for killings and destruction.

"Ross is a soldier, and I know he killed, kills and will keep killing in the future." Elka suddenly spoke, taking Law's attention. "And I think that's sad."

Law remained quiet. He wasn't surprised, in fact, he expected as much from Elka.

"It seems to me that soldiers and criminals aren't any different from each other. Both parties kill people for what they believe in, for their own gain." Elka's gaze seemed far off as the aircraft safely met the ground. "But you know, I can't bring myself to completely hate them."

Quirking an eyebrow, Law merely listened to her verbose speech.

"I can't hate the people who do it nor the action because I know they do it for a reason. All of us has something to protect, be it beliefs, loved ones or even mere belongings. Regardless of titles and labels, we are all the same, just humans, and we're bound to die someday so we might as well do whatever we think is right and don't regret later on."

After a short pause, Elka drew up a small smile. "Did you know? I wanted to become an army doctor."

"You don't belong in the battlefield." Law immediately scoffed.

"I know." her tone resigned. "Because I know that be it an enemy or not, I will heal them. I am a doctor, and doctors are supposed to heal people without discrimination."

Law tipped his head up a bit. "You're going to get yourself killed with that line of thinking."

"Like I didn't know that already."

=/=

Ross was ahead of soldiers and police officers alike. He stood approximately five feet away from the plane's nose. The flight deck was already shattered and he could make out a few shadows moving inside.

As he pulled out his weapon and pointed it towards the cockpit's direction, the men behind him followed suit. One officer who had a megaphone called out to the terrorists and gave them the option to surrender peacefully but even after waiting for minutes, they did not get any response. Worse, there was no sign of people leaving the plane's cabin. Even its door remained shut.

Ross gestured at the same officer to give out another warning to which they finally received a reaction from the terrorists. A person emerged from the broken cockpit who immediately put both hands up. She wore a black helmet and her face was obscured by a dark eye shield built in with the helmet she's wearing. Her clothes were covered in dirt and dust but what stood out was her combat shoes, knee and elbow pads, gun holsters on her body and a hand grenade she held up in her gloved hand.

 _This bitch is suicidal._ Ross thought when he spotted her finger hovering over the safety clip. Still, he was prepared. Pointing his own gun against her, he tried to persuade her into surrendering peacefully and putting down her grenade.

But she didn't. Instead, she waved her free hand and gestured for her helmet until she finally removed it, revealing scarlet wavy hair blown by the soft breeze across her face. It shone vermilion under the sunset's gleam, her deep blue eyes locked onto Ross's own pair.

She breathed. "I missed you, Roswell." she kept her voice as soft as the breeze. It was doubtful that anyone heard her gentle whisper.

But someone did hear, and it was the person addressed who heard. Ross's eyes grew larger as he stared onto those deep blue eyes. Hearing the name he had long forgotten and buried into the last fray on a cold winter overcame him with acute nostalgia for his days in his homeland. He felt his breath caught in his throat. He was unable to speak out, and it seemed they could stare at each other forever, taking in the image of one another.

That eternity was quickly shattered by the crack of a gun from Ross's earphone.

" _Heart shot. Hit."_

Ross's daze was over immediately after hearing a static voice on one ear. When he realized it, the woman before him was already shot.

" _Target falls down to her knees."_

The spotter continued to report through the wireless radio. Ross was left speechless. He couldn't give the order to stop nor could he give the order to keep shooting.

" _Head shot. Aim."_

Ross gasped. As he recalled the first shot, judging from the gap between reported impact indicated that the shot was fired from roughly nine hundred meters away. He had to halt the firing now.

" _Hold. Target leans forward."_

Ross looked up and saw the woman was about to fall down. He figured it was his chance. "Cease fire. Good work, Sniper one." he muttered over his tiny mic.

" _Roger that."_

The woman let go of her hand grenade without removing the safety pin. It seemed she wasn't interested to blow herself up anymore. She let her body fall forward until she tumbled over and landed on the hard ground with her bottom first, her upper body leaning back onto the plane's nose.

Ross gestured at the men behind him to stay back. He then carefully approached the woman and pointed his own gun against her face, also switching off the radio over his one ear.

"Are you their leader?" he asked. Despite getting shaken up by her identity, he retained his composure and had a firm hold of his duty.

The woman in question slowly stared up at him, and then she smiled. "Roswell... Since when did you start..wearing gloves?"

Ross remained quiet. Memories of his childhood suddenly came crashing on him. He already had his index finger fixed at the gun's trigger but he couldn't bring himself to pull it. He had killed countless people - men, women, children - yet the woman before him was one person he couldn't bring himself to kill by his own hands.

Ross glanced down at her bleeding chest, and he knew she was going to die either way so he decided to at least answer the last question she was able to ask.

"That was when..." he paused and looked at his gun. He then pulled it back and let his arm hang on his side. "When you died, big sister."

The woman let out a short chuckle before finally closing her eyes. At that instant, Ross turned around and ordered his men to seize the remaining terrorists inside the plane, but it seemed they were outsmarted by the scarlet. She served as the distraction to which her fellow men escaped through the tail. Still, they managed to rescue the passengers and the Luke city governor together with his family so the police still treated it as a success.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey, Belated Merry Christmas to all of you and Advance Happy New Year! Um, yeah, I just wanted to greet you all. Thanks for sticking around and, um, I don't know. Anyway, I sorted a few points here and I don't think I'd be able to update after January so I'm posting this chapter now. Er, I had initially planned this chapter to be longer (because 13th, you know, so much bad happening on the 13th), yeah but I couldn't work it out so I guess the next chapter is the one that's going to get extra extra long so I apologize if it's too short. But at least, please enjoy!**

* * *

 **Omen**

 _ **Thirteenth Sign**_

En city's center was bound to be closed for two days maximum to repair all the damages and completely remove the plane. They had little casualties, a few civilians wounded mostly due to the glass and debris that came from the damaged buildings and the broken wings of the aircraft. The corpse of the terrorist woman was sent to a morgue of a government hospital affiliated with the special forces for investigation, and Ross ended up being called back to their headquarters on short notice for questioning. The media were quick on their feet and in just a blink of an eye, the news about this 'Synergist attack' of terrorists was spread all over the nation, leaving unrest to people who lived and were living quite nearby the actual scene.

The state of emergency was lifted to avoid further distress among the citizen. Most of what happened was kept secret and people present were asked to stay quiet about it. Still, it raised controversies as to how the plane stayed on air unmoving, how its wings suddenly got cut and most especially, the sudden appearance of a visible light blue aura around the area during the whole incident. With that said, Elka knew it was her cue to concentrate on getting Trafalgar Law out of their world before matters regarding that mysterious occurrence gets worse.

"I'm glad it turned out well but..." Elka stopped mid-sentence as her gaze drifted over the redhead sitting across her.

The three of them were riding one of the armored vehicles that was driven by one of Ross's men. Elka sat beside Law while Ross sat across her. She couldn't help but worry when she heard one of the soldiers told Ross that he was being called by the 'General' to their headquarters. She wasn't that knowledgeable about military ranks but she knew a 'General' was supposedly the highest-ranking officer in the military.

Ross stayed quiet all the same regardless of Elka's worries. He seemed preoccupied, and Law couldn't help but wonder what happened back there that made the young lad seem so exhausted. There were times when the redhead acted docile, but he always exuded power and he never seemed so frail despite his average stature. Law wasn't even sure if he was praising the young lad, but right now he was feeling disappointed in him.

Elka couldn't stand the silence so she leaned forward and grabbed Ross's hand. The man jerked his hand away in response.

"Ross, are you okay?" Elka asked, taking his hand once more.

Ross blinked. "I'm okay, Elka." he seemed to have come back to his senses. He gently took the girl's hand and removed it from his. He then gave her a patient smile. "Please don't worry. It's nothing serious."

Elka frowned. "It's obviously serious. I heard it's your General calling for you, and what does 'questioning' even mean?"

Ross closed his eyes in resignation and sighed. "He just probably wants to hear my report in person. The old guy's always like that, you know."

Elka stared warily at the redhead for a good while before dropping her suspicions and decided to stay positive. "All right then, I expect you to get breakfast with me tomorrow. I have class so I'll be early."

"Sure thing." Ross simply answered.

"Then, do you have any request? I can make you a pie or something." Elka asked in an attempt to uplift the gloomy atmosphere.

Ross seemed to be contemplating before offering Elka a smile. "Baked apples."

Elka was surprised. "Baked apples? I didn't know you liked sweet stuffs."

"I like apples. They're my favorite."

Elka gasped. "Why am I just learning this now? You could have told me way before!"

Ross chuckled lightly. "You never asked."

"It should be obvious to tell me what you like eating!" Elka gave the young lad a soft glare, playfully pouting. "The least I could do is cook the food you like."

"I will eat anything you make, Elka. No big deal." Ross plainly replied, earning him a light blush from the unsuspecting girl.

"I hate to interrupt but where are we going?" Law voiced, obviously annoyed at their idyllic exchange.

"I'm sending you and Elka back to the dormitory. I believe Elka's been discharged from the hospital anyway." Ross answered, looking over at the Warlord.

"I thought you're supposed to go somewhere else." Law stated, his voice coated with curiosity yet there was an underlying aggressiveness that told the redhead of his unwanted presence.

Ross smirked at the hidden message. "It's not urgent." he glanced back at Elka. "Like I said, it's nothing serious."

But his reassurance did not quell Elka's worry, a look of concern continued to furrow her brows.

"Ross, I don't want you to get in trouble." she paused and cast a sideways glance at Law. "Doctor's with me. He gave me his word, he will protect me."

Elka's tone was firm and the look on her face was one filled with certainty it was startling. Both men seemed surprised but were strong enough not to show it. There was an awkward silence that followed and it made Elka's face redden in embarrassment. It made her realize how bold her words were and she thought she might have acted preposterous towards the dark doctor.

"That's reassuring." Ross oddly cooed, smiling sweetly at Elka. "I could at least rest easy knowing you'll stay safe with mister Law around."

Elka was shocked at how Ross responded. She studied his expression, his unguarded gaze looked as though ominous dark clouds were gathering overhead. It made her anxious, she somehow knew something unpleasant may befell the young soldier.

"Ross-"

"Captain, we're here." the driver upfront abruptly announced as soon as the car came into a sudden halt. "This is the second street corner, sir."

Ross proceeded to open the backdoor and got off the vehicle. He motioned to the two to follow suit and as the duo got off as well, he spoke with one of his men. After a few more words and gestures, the redhead ran up to the two and told them he could walk them until the dormitory gates. Unfortunately, he'll have to leave immediately as per orders from the higher-ups.

"Oh, and Elka, did you say something earlier?" Ross inquired as they began to walk away from the vehicle.

Elka hesitated. She knew even if she expressed her worry to the young lad, he will just shrug it off like he always do. "Uh, why did we park here? It's at least two streets away from the dormitory."

"Right. That's because I don't want to cause a stir." Ross dryly answered.

Elka waited, but he said no more than that. Silence quickly followed after, making her jittery. She would sneak glances at each of them and both wore their usual expressions, like they don't sense anything strange or threatening. It made her feel like she was only being paranoid, and that her worry was inessential. Elka always made it a point to stay positive at all times but it was hard when she could sense a looming danger set to pounce at her - at Ross.

Still, Elka struggled to steady her erratic heart. It was no use worrying, the most she could do was pray and hope for the best. It was hard accepting how she was becoming some sort of a damsel in distress. Despite her strong desire to help, she was the one who gets helped, who gets rescued, who gets saved. She admitted she wasn't and will never be a heroic figure to anyone and as much as it frustrated her, she had to swallow the truth no matter how bitter it was. She was Law's key, and she had to push those doubts and idiotic thoughts away so he could finally be released from the shackles of her world she herself forged and placed on the dark doctor. It was time she do something to make sure her world retains its peace, that her life would go back to normal.

But will her life really go back to normal? She just lost her closest friend and neighbor, Maribelle, together with her architect friend Daniel, who gladly drew for her when he was alive. And both died due to the misfortune she brought. The scar over her abdomen was a strong reminder of that tragedy. Not only that, civilians were dragged into her rotten luck, nameless people who undoubtedly had family and friends got hurt and died. But Elka, she survived all tribulations. No, she was saved, and it spoke of her curse as a harbinger of death.

And she thought, where was justice in those occasions? She had to be sued for it. She had to be blamed for it. She had to pay for it. It was her selfishness that led to miserable outcomes. It was her wish that possibly broke the balance between worlds and dimensions, time and space.

However much she racked her brain, Elka couldn't come up with anything plausible to solve the mystery. She figured she was the key but she didn't know what exactly she needed to do to return the Warlord back to his own dimension. She had a hint, that maybe her strong feelings for him was blocking her mind to the answer she sought but since Law left her to meet Ross, her feelings for him began to fade as her feelings of sadness and regret for Maribelle's death was far stronger than her admiration to the Warlord.

Elka was pulled back to reality when she felt a tug. She immediately stopped in her tracks and found Law's hand on her shoulder. She showed slight surprise after realizing they were already standing in front of the dormitory gates.

"All right." Ross began. "Get some rest, Elka." he told her as he placed one foot behind him in preparation to turning back. "I'm still being called so I'll have to go."

"Okay." Elka weakly replied, staring blankly at the redhead.

Elka kept staring that Ross thought maybe she still had something to say so he waited in place, returning her gaze and holding a small smile of his own. Not long, Elka caught herself staring, quickly turning away in self-consciousness.

"Sorry about that." she muttered, to which the young lad only laughed.

"Well, I'll get going now." Ross said with a brief wave of a hand.

Elka decided it was inappropriate to send off a good friend awkwardly like that so as a charm, she called back to him and offered him a kind smile. "Look forward to your baked apples tomorrow."

Ross regarded her with a faint smile. Elka, on the other hand, quickly began to walk to the gates. She knew if she stayed for a while longer, something dumb may come out of her mouth. Law remained. He was thinking of handing back Ross's heart. He couldn't think of any use for it anyway and he figured it wouldn't be a good idea to let Elka find out about it too.

"Aren't you going to follow her?" Ross asked, looking at Law.

Law returned his gaze and took out his heart. "Here. I'm returning this." he told Ross as he handed the organ over.

Ross smirked. "I'm surprised." he held it in one hand and stared at it for a while, still awestruck with its unworldly realism. He opened his coat and rolled up his shirt to place his heart back to the hole in his chest. "I thought you were going to keep it."

"I have no use for it anymore."

Ross hummed. "I guess you're right." he then turned to his heels and began to walk away.

"Ross- _ya_." Law suddenly called, but Ross completely ignored him and kept his pace. Despite this, Law still raised one abrupt question to the redhead. "If Elka- _ya_ decides to come with me, what will you do?"

The disputable question posed made Ross flinch, forcing him to halt in his tracks. Law smirked at the reaction he got. He remembered Ross saying he preferred respecting Elka's wishes but he also knew how much the lad valued Elka so he figured the redhead won't back down without a fight.

"If that's what she wants then," Ross looked him over his shoulder, blue eyes mournful yet his features held a remarkable stoicism. "I will wish her the best." he ended, facing forward and resuming his march.

Trafalgar Law was taken aback by the young lad's words. He didn't expect him to relent so easily. Although it seemed confusing at first, he somehow understood how much he cherished Elka. Ross did say he would always do what Elka wants, and he also mentioned he was going to back off if the girl says she doesn't need him. But Law was still shocked to hear it himself, to realize it himself, that the lad was serious with his every claim. It didn't sit well with him though. Like he thought, he and Ross would never have anything to agree with.

"If it was me, I won't let anyone take her away from me." Law voiced, unamused. If it was him, he would never let any of his loved ones leave him nor let anyone take them away from him without a fight. But the redhead easily accepted the idea and readily let go of his so-called most treasured person, and it irritated the dark doctor.

Ross paused for a moment upon hearing Law's response. It amused him how Law responded to his answer with strong rebuttal. "Elka is precious to me and I don't like it when she's upset. I respect and believe in her decisions." he spoke without looking back at the man. "I am me and you are you. We are two different people with different beliefs and ideals. Don't compare yourself to me, you pirate."

Trafalgar Law was rendered speechless. He silently watched Ross disappear from his sight, letting his words linger for a good while. His frustration was easily replaced by revelations about his own shortcoming. He realized he was acting rather childish and found it disgraceful for someone like him to behave in such manner. With a small puff of breath, he proceeded to enter the dormitory gates. Law figured dwelling on it would only be counterproductive. Besides, shouldn't he be pleased? That meant taking Elka would be easy as long as she agrees with him.

Soon, he found Elka standing next to her room's door.

"What did you two talked about?" Elka anxiously asked. It seemed she knew Law remained behind and assumed he wanted to speak with the redhead privately.

Law dryly replied. "Nothing."

=/=

Elka decided to take a quick shower as soon as they entered her room. She did complain to Law regarding her door left unlocked but easily let it slide as she was already feeling tired. Although she wanted to ask about how he and Ross got along, she couldn't bring herself to do so. She had many questions, especially after realizing that Law was carrying his sword with him using Ross's sword bag case, but in the end, she found herself deciding to stay ignorant about it. Although she claimed she could somehow accept the reality of war and destruction, she still couldn't bring herself to face all of it. And she admitted she was weak, too weak to even dream about supporting Ross in the battlefield as an army doctor.

Still, she thought there was nothing wrong with dreaming. She was still young, she figured she will eventually overcome those fears. There will come a time when she will be able to accept the harsh reality as a whole and she will be able to look at it face to face.

"Elka- _ya_ , can we talk?" Law's voice cut through the noise of shower.

Elka turned the knob, reducing the water pouring. "If it's urgent, yeah."

"Do you know _everything_ about my world?" Law sounded hesitant yet his tone was firm.

Elka was confused. "Everything? Of course not."

"...Are you aware of my past?"

Elka took a while before answering back. She didn't know how the Warlord would take it if she answered yes. "...No."

"Then why does Ross- _ya_ know my hate towards Doflamingo?"

Elka paled. She had no idea what Ross could have already told him. She had been avoiding to mention anything related to One Piece since she mentioned his alliance with the Straw Hats. She dearly regretted mentioning it after finding out that Law hadn't known it yet and promised herself not to reveal anymore but now, now Law himself was asking her and she didn't know what to do.

One loud knock on the bathroom door startled Elka. "Answer me." Law growled.

"I'm sorry I lied!" Elka quickly answered, hurrying to check if the door was locked. "Yes, I know what happened to you! I know your childhood! I even know your full name!"

"Then what's the secret?" Law reluctantly asked. "The national treasure of Mariejois, what is it?"

Elka felt her eyes widen in shock. "Oh no... Ross told you that..?"

"Was it something I shouldn't know?"

Elka was gritting her teeth in annoyance. Of all things Ross can mention, it was _that_. She didn't want to alter anything in One Piece. She didn't want to affect its story. It was perfect as it is, she didn't want to be the one to ruin it. She was merely a fan, she had no desires of playing God over One Piece's dimension.

"It's something you're better off not knowing, doctor! Please just drop it!" Elka desperately pleaded. "Forget it! Ross was just..! He was just..!" her voice shook in uncertainty.

Elka couldn't say Ross was lying, and frankly, she was also curious of what course Law would take if he knew. But Elka thought it was preposterous of her to think of laying her hands on Oda's masterpiece. She was trash compared to his incredible imagination, she was in no place to meddle and taint his work despite not knowing if it would truly affect the story's future or if it would change her past as well.

"If you knew my past, then you should know how much I despise the World Government." Law stated, his tone suggested his bottomless rage. "They knew about Amber Lead, yet they kept silent for the sake of profit! And when it got worse, they decided we were not needed!"

"I know! I know your pain and sufferings as a child but..! Please, I just don't want to ruin anything!"

Law banged the door hard enough that Elka rebounded off it. "Ruin _anything_? Just letting me know such knowledge existed beyond my knowing is already ruining _everything_!"

What Law stated was true and Elka couldn't help but accept it. She didn't expect Ross to carelessly flap his mouth although she could empathize. If she revealed a contentious plot twist from the story, will it trigger something? Something outrageous, maybe? Elka believed change was good. There was always something good in change, otherwise, why would it be the only permanent concept in life? And she couldn't help but think, if Law took a different course of action after acquiring the knowledge she held, will it change One Piece's future? And more importantly, will it rewind her world's time? Will she be able to go back in the time when she hadn't met Law? Will she be able to see Maribelle and Daniel alive? Will it change her past? Will it change the world's future?

There was only one way to find out and that was to take a risk and jump to it. But she didn't have enough courage. Elka knew there was only one shot and she didn't want to mess it up. She could tell him now but she was hesitant. What if it didn't change a thing? What if the clock kept moving forward? All her hopes would be crushed into tiny little pieces, her heart shattered and her soul burned into ashes. In the end, she decided to keep her silence.

"Listen, Elka- _ya_." Law immediately broke the ice before it bloated. He sounded calm and it seemed he wasn't interested with breaking down her bathroom door anymore. "Whether you like it or not, I _will_ take you with me. That way, you'll have no excuse to keep those secrets from me. Remember that."

=/=

"Rosary Valctovoel."

There was a large projector in the room in which showed a picture of a woman of scarlet wavy hair and deep blue eyes together with her name and short biography.

"Does the name sound familiar to any of you?"

The room was filled with high-ranking officials in the army all seated in a circle with Ross standing in the middle of it. On the bow stood a tall tan man with short graying hair inquired, his coffee-colored eyes directed at a certain redhead. He wore a darker khaki military uniform and a beret, with four silver stars glistening over his epaulettes.

"What about you, Lieutenant Ross?" General Martin glared sharply at the young lieutenant. "Or should I say, Roswell Valctovoel?" he focused on exerting pressure onto the redhead.

Ross carried himself confidently and held a firm gaze as he answered, "Yes. She's my biological sister."

Murmurs of disgust quickly filled the room upon Ross's statement. Unfeeling gazes were thrown at him but he ignored them.

"Would you look at that! We have an officer with a terrorist for a sister!" one commented.

"I knew he was a spy from the very beginning. No wonder terrorists laid low for the past three years." another voiced.

"If the late General didn't pick up that stray dog, we wouldn't have this problem."

"This is definitely a sign that the West is preparing to invade us. War is brewing."

General Martin raised a hand to quiet down the restless officials. "I'm glad you have no intentions of hiding it, Lieutenant, but you must be aware of your current position." he looked pointedly at the young lad. "You are under suspicion of treachery."

Ross remained silent.

"You've been a huge asset to us since the late General introduced you to the army, but your origins has kept us wary of you. And now that your kin has come to invade our country, we couldn't ignore the possibility of you giving them intelligence regarding our own forces."

"I'm sorry, General, but I am not a Valctovoel anymore." Ross solemnly stated. "I am Ross Maris, the son of General Mars Samuel Maris. I have already discarded my origins, turned back from my homeland and embraced this new identity I was granted. And I have sworn loyalty to this country and its people."

One official raised a hand and joined the conversation. "If I may, as the old saying goes, blood is thicker than water. You cannot shrug this off by saying it's all in the past. You may have sworn loyalty but you may never live up to it."

Ross sneered. "Are you talking about yourself?"

This roused the official's fury. "Impudent brat!"

"I worked my way up here with solid achievements as enough proof to that. I have performed my duties and acted accordingly for the benefit of the country." Ross gave the angered official a sideways glance. "Unlike some who remained seated on their high horses, watching from afar."

"Your impudence has no place in this-"

"Please stop, Lieutenant General Maxie. You're disgracing yourself by biting into this man's provocation." General Martin interrupted, frowning at the scene. "And Lieutenant, I would appreciate it if you refrain from evoking displeasure among your superiors."

Ross politely nodded. "Then please allow me to speak further, sir." he requested, to which the General readily granted. "My biological parents had already perished during the Winter War, and I only had one sibling who I believed was killed in it as well. But that doesn't matter, for in the present, I have performed my duties and endeavored to crush any enemies that posed a threat in this land. Unfortunately, I had let the terrorists escape due to unforeseen circumstances but I managed to take out their seemingly acting leader. I believe that is proof enough that I have no intentions of betraying the army and this country. Rosary Valctovoel was killed under _my_ orders. You may question Sniper one if you see fit, as he was the one who made the shot as per my instruction."

Ross was brimming with confidence and spoke fluidly that it convinced the majority present in the room of his loyalty, including General Martin himself. There was a pregnant pause as everyone present let his words linger for a moment longer. They took in every word he spat, and with some of them faintly nodding in satisfaction, a few begged to differ.

"How can you be so sure that Rosary Valctovoel was in fact their leader?" one raised.

"I do not claim it for a fact. As I've said, she only 'seemed' to be acting as one. Rosary was an excellent soldier and she excelled in acting as lure." Ross patiently explained. "Similar to myself, she was a child soldier, and during that course in our lives, I've learned how she does her job one way or another."

"But another thing," another joined the discussion. "It was reported that you had gone off independently to a suspected terrorist hideout alone. How can we trust you when you couldn't even report back to the headquarters first before heading out?"

"I acted on short notice as I saw it necessary to resort to surprise tactics if we wanted to catch them red-handed." Ross smoothly answered.

"And what of that man seen riding with you towards En city?"

Ross felt his body go rigid at the mention of Law's existence. He didn't want to bring him up as he knew Elka might get caught in it.

"Your men did not mention him but we found from En city's surveillance camera that you were with someone coming from the suspected terrorist hideout."

Ross held a stoic face and plainly stated, "I don't know."

"You don't know? But from that video clip, we saw you and someone else on your bike." General Martin pressed on. "Who is he?"

Ross only smiled. "I already said I don't know."

=/=

Elka was unable to sleep. She wasn't insomniac, only, a lot of things weighed heavily on her mind that the cool breeze of the air conditioner, the dimness of the room and the softness of her mattress couldn't lull her into sleep. She was even unable to get dinner, and she thought, maybe that was the real reason she couldn't sleep.

"Close your eyes." Law softly said. He was leaning back against the bed's headboard beside her, on the side closer to the door just like the previous night's arrangement. "You'll be able to fall asleep faster that way."

"Speak for yourself." Elka replied in slight annoyance. "You're not even trying to sleep."

"I'm on guard duty." Law looked at her briefly. "Following the previous events, some random guy might just come in and kill you."

"That won't happen."

"Of course it won't." Law glanced at his sword that was resting just beside him. "They won't even get the chance to step in here."

"That's not what I meant." Elka's voice went slightly higher. "Just drop the act. I know you're angry."

"...Tell me what's the deal with that treasure."

Elka remained quiet. She couldn't even look at Law.

"I don't know how that treasure will come into play but if it's something I can somehow use in the future to threaten the World Government, then I'd do anything to get my hands on it, even just a bit of information will do."

Elka hesitated. "...It is something you can use."

Law fell silent. He looked at her, to which the young doctor turned away.

"In fact, it's something only _you_ can utilize." she added, almost a whisper to herself.

Law heard and understood her murmured words. He looked at his hands and said decidedly, "It's my devil fruit ability, isn't it?"

Elka visibly winced at Law's query. She figured Law was the sharp type, of course he was, but she couldn't stand the Warlord's silent rage, pushing her to open her mouth. At most, she wanted to quench his anger. It was uncomfortable, what with all the events that happened so far, that bad omen she felt from Ross's strange behavior and now, the one person staying with her was emanating strong negative energy that she wasn't sure if he was even aware of. Elka knew she was going to regret saying anything about the enigmatic treasure of Mariejois as it was only also vaguely mentioned from the _manga_ itself. Elka was one of those all-out nerds that make insane speculations about every little thing from the title but she never thought that trait of hers would backfire so bad.

"I knew it was odd why Doflamingo was hellbent on keeping me alive." Law muttered, almost to himself.

"I'm sorry. That's all I can tell you." Elka talked under her breath. "I don't know anymore beyond that."

Law chuckled. "Yes you do."

Elka kept quiet. She forced her eyes closed and began counting sheep in her head in an attempt to fall asleep. She figured pretending to be asleep won't work either way so her best bet was to truly fall asleep.

"I have no intentions of going back empty-handed." Law announced to no one in particular. He knew Elka was still awake and listening but he saw no point in elaborating what he meant. He was simply making himself clear that his eyes were already set to her.

=/=

Elka woke up to the sound of light rain. A hint of steely light showed that morning was on its way. She got up, brushed her teeth and washed her face. The cold water effectively waking her up, and that was when she realized she actually woke up before the dark doctor.

Elka stared at the Warlord who slept on his side, facing to her position with an arm folded under his head and the other extended to her space. She never realized Law practically hugged her in their sleep. It made her blush, thinking they just had an argument the night before. Law looked to be frowning a bit, and she found his sleeping face cute and hilarious at the same time.

 _He always have problems even in dreams, huh?_ Elka thought. She didn't bother to change her pajamas and grabbed her cell as she was expecting a text message from a classmate that day. Since she messaged her that she might attend class late due to a cold (yes, she lied to her classmate), she figured she should clear that out now that she was up and about that early. Elka went out of the room to prepare breakfast. It was lucky that one of her dorm mates had a few apples left from the day before yesterday. Just like the old tradition, she would place a note over the island and replace the apples she used later on.

As Elka merrily prepared the food, various thoughts coursed through her mind. She was extremely worried about the incident yesterday. Law openly displayed his ability, and although they were at a fair distance from the main commotion, she was aware of the existence of surveillance camera. And then there was also the media, and the internet. Elka knew it was best to check the television and the internet news later on just so she's informed of what people may have made out of that incident. It was bad enough that One Piece fans were overwhelming, considering how the long-standing _manga_ had garnered almost a billion of enthusiasts. Elka assumed that a few fans would may have already figured it out but because of the clear line between fantasy and reality, she doubted they would look that deep into it. Still, the possibility was there and she couldn't ignore it but she knew in herself, if it was her on their shoes, she would definitely dismiss it as something else but some fictional character coming into reality.

Despite all that brooding, Elka praised herself for successfully making three baked apples without burning any of them. It was simple and easy to make, but if you don't pay attention, you'd burn them. She also cooked ham and rice, as she always made it a point to have a heavy breakfast especially on weekdays. She swiftly set the food and the plates on the dining table and ultimately, she sat down on one of the empty chairs to wait for Ross.

Of course Elka didn't forget Law, but she already knew he would go there once he wakes up. He was especially so eager to keep her in his line of sight since their argument, and the fact that he didn't get up when she got up meant he had tired himself quite considerably. That's also why she went out of her way to cook rice, although she was unsure if ham was fine with the dark doctor and/or if he eats baked apples. Of course, she hoped for the best.

It felt like hours as Elka patiently waited. She had been staring at the food, all of which had their steam gradually recede as time passed. Not later, she heard her cell ring. It was a text message. She quickly opened it, expecting it was from her said classmate, not bothering to double check the sender's name. But the message shocked her, clearly telling her it wasn't from her classmate.

 _Sorry._

That was all it read.

Elka already knew who it was from before even glancing up at the sender's name. She somehow knew it already but she just kept denying it. Maybe because she was already spoiled by him? He never broke any promises. Oh, but he never did promise anything. She just got used to him showing up everyday, in the kitchen, cooking with her and then eating with her. He made her feel that she wasn't alone anymore, that he was always there. But today, she had to understand that it wasn't going to go on forever. He had a life of his own, a difficult job, but she just couldn't help but be sad about it.

And Elka wasn't only sad by the fact that Ross didn't show up. It was by the fact that all he could tell her was sorry. He didn't explain why. He didn't explain what happened. Just a plain sorry, and it must have missed the young lad's mind but that message just screamed 'danger' at her. It meant something serious happened that he couldn't explain. And she understood, and that was what broke her heart.

=/=

Just as Elka saw the message, Law arrived at the dining hall. He was livid at being left behind without a word. If he hadn't thought properly and pulled himself together fast enough, he might have destroyed the whole place just to find where she was hiding.

But upon seeing the young raven, Law became baffled. Elka was looking over that 'phone' device and was crying. Law was confused, he didn't understand what those tears meant. He couldn't even ask.


	14. Chapter 14

**Omen**

 _ **Fourteenth Sign**_

"Ah, good morning doctor."

Elka hurriedly wiped away the tears from her cheeks when she heard footsteps coming from her right side. She spoke without looking back in an effort to hide her face. She refused to show weakness.

Trafalgar Law, on the other hand, simply let himself in. He did not bother prying onto Elka's matters as she already made it clear she was unwilling to share. He himself felt concerned, but he could not bring himself to force her to speak about it. He had witnessed Elka cry twice since they met and just seeing her weep for the third time left a bad taste in his mouth, making him choose to feign ignorance instead.

Law proceeded to take the empty chair right across the gal so he could get a good look at her face. Elka immediately turned her face away from him.

"Elka- _ya_." Law called, making her flinch. "Why did you leave the room without telling me?"

Elka seemed surprised at the question. She slowly turned to look at Law, only to find him helping himself with the ham and rice served. A small smile crept up to her face, relief eminent on her features.

"You were asleep." she simply answered.

"You could have woken me up." Law sharply retorted.

"You seemed exhausted. I thought I should let you rest for a while longer."

Law pointedly looked at her. "It goes without saying but, I don't want you out of my sight."

Elka only sighed and began to eat as well. She was glad the dark doctor decided not to pry into her previous matter. It gave her the time and space she needed to organize her thoughts and to accept the present events. She wanted to believe Ross was fine. She had faith in him, he was probably given more work so he couldn't come that morning. She would probably see him tomorrow, or maybe later after school. In the meantime, Elka wanted to concentrate on getting herself together for the new day. She had school and she had to do good if she wanted to secure her academic future.

When the duo were done eating, Elka was partly surprised not to hear anything from the Warlord. He didn't even make any attempt to start a conversation. It was as if the man was uninterested but Elka appreciated it. It had been a while since she ate in silence, but instead of loneliness, it was serenity that enveloped her. Ross usually did the same, keeping his silence and watching her eat whenever he finished first. It had a calming effect on her. No words were needed, she just wanted to feel she was not alone.

Soon they were back in her room and Elka quickly changed into her white uniform. Law examined her and couldn't help but compare her clothes with the uniforms most nurses wore back in his world. He watched her organize her things, her bag, her books. He watched her accessorizing, walking up to her dressing table and combing raven locks, looking herself at the mirror as she did her hair.

"Doctor, you'll have to stay here. If you get hungry, I placed the leftovers in the fridge. You already know where the kitchen is." Elka told Law as she walked past him. "Don't do anything reckless and don't bother the neighbors."

Law immediately grabbed Elka's arm before she could even reach the doorknob.

"Did you even hear me earlier? I don't want you out of my sight."

Elka frowned. "You can't come with me, doctor. My school has tight security. Besides, I'll be out for only about eight hours or so."

"That's too long." Law argued. "And dangerous."

"Doctor, this is a routine in my life." Elka gently removed Law's hand from her arm. "And like I said, the school has tight security. I'll be safe there."

"No." Law again grabbed her arm but this time, he pulled her closer to him. Steel grey eyes locked onto obsidian ones. "Where you go, I go as well. It's either you take me with you or you stay here with me."

"But-"

"No buts." Law furiously hissed, glaring at the young gal. "I will _not_ allow you to go more than ten feet away from me, understand?"

"Yes of course..." Elka muttered, her eyes balling in shock at her own words. Law knew how to pressure her and force her to give in to his desires. It was a reflex Elka had developed since meeting the dark doctor, and she was scared of it.

A smile crossed his face once Elka gave him a satisfying reply. Law let her go and asked to assist him on picking which clothes to wear in order to blend in better among her school's society. Despite Elka's hesitance and indirect protests, they still ended up going to her school together. The ride going to the said university went longer than usual as they had to take a detour due to the closed roads in En city, nevertheless, they still arrived there fairly early.

Raftearsen University was renowned for its students always filling up the top ten rankings in the annual board examinations for Medicine. Not only that, but the school has a reputation of having as high as ninety-four percent passing rate regardless of the number of board takers. It was famous far and wide, and together with its fame came its wealth. Raftearsen wasn't only a university but also a hospital as well, and as a matter of fact, the hospital stood just beside the university itself. The thousands of hectares of land dedicated only for its founder and president's use.

Of course students benefited from this, ensuring the institution to receive hundreds of enrollees every year despite its infamous super hard entrance examinations and super strict screening through interview. The matter of clerkship, internship and PGI-ship was easily solved just by the mere fact that the university owned a hospital itself. Similarly, the hospital was also famous and renowned for its university producing brilliant doctors, making the people trust their service.

When the duo arrived at the gate entrance of the university, Law admired the towering buildings he could see from afar just behind the tall walls that seemed to go for miles. He could make out some greenery just by the entrance which suggested that there were trees in there as well. He couldn't begin to imagine how big the place was, and Elka even mentioned that the huge hospital they walked past earlier was part of the establishment.

"Do you see that by the entrance?" Elka pointed at the gate's center. Aside from the barred fence, there were two guards on standby and two machines with a strange form that was connected to three metal bars blocking the way. "It's designed to read our IDs. Once recognized, we'd be enabled to turn those metal bars to enter the school premises."

Law smirked. He lifted his hand, a light blue aura spinning just below his palm. "I can definitely bypass that."

"No!" Elka shouted, grabbing his hand. "Doctor, there are surveillance cameras in this campus! Stop it!"

Law frowned. "And what would you have me do? Stay out here?"

"No..." Elka weakly replied. She contemplated her options, perhaps she may allow letting Law in as a visitor, yet it proved to be futile for it required him to have a valid ID. Almost every other options available in her head would need to go through all sorts of identification process, Elka figured there was no other choice but to make Law wait for her outside the school.

However, Elka was aware it would bring infinite displeasure to the Warlord. Nonetheless, she gestured at a humble coffee shop that stood just across the street and told him, "You can wait-"

"I won't wait." Law briskly snarled, cutting off Elka's sentence just as she expected. "If anything happened to you in there, it will take me forever to find you. It's best we stick together."

"It's just school!" Elka raised her voice in frustration. "Nothing bad will happen!"

"Just like back at the hospital. You said you'll be fine but look what happened."

"It won't happen again!" Elka argued. She used all her strength to forcibly pull Law away from the entrance. "Let's get you to that coffee shop and you wait there."

Law was still against the idea. Nonetheless, he allowed Elka to lead him to the shop. Once there, she bought him a hot coffee and told him to stay put, to which the Warlord responded with a sardonic smile. By that simple gesture alone, Elka understood the pirate captain was up to no good. She knew how capable the man was when it came to planning things out, and so she came to a conclusion in which Law would try to find a way to sneak into the campus in any means necessary. With that in mind, she spent a few more minutes of her time pleading and begging him to listen to her at least once in his life.

Her desperate act amused the dark doctor, so much so that he began seriously considering her request. With a brief nod and a restrained smile, he decided to give her an affirming nod to which the unsuspecting woman was utterly grateful for. Giving him a brief reminder of whatnot, Elka finally turned to leave, almost in a rush back to the school as time dictated she was running late by then.

Barely a minute had passed and Law began his search for a way to possibly enter the campus. He quietly observed his environment, delighted at the fact that most of the customers wore the same white uniform Elka wore. There were a few others donning casual clothes underneath a white coat and he figured they were doctors, either interns, clerks or residents, he couldn't tell, but it was enough to let him know how easily he may be able to blend in with the school's staff just by imitating the doctors in that coffee shop - all he needed was a white coat.

Trafalgar Law lifted his hot cup of coffee into his lips while his eyes swept thoroughly over the many heads of customers present within his vicinity. At the back of his mind played possible scenarios after obtaining a white coat, impersonating the school's doctors. He could make out printed words embroidered on the fabric's right side of the chest, and it was apparent that they had IDs as well. He couldn't just waltz in there unprepared lest he wanted to get attention. He needed an alibi, good props and a legitimate ID.

An hour or so, the group of doctors Law had been eyeing began to move. They talked for a moment longer before finally leaving the table, and Law couldn't even be happier when one of them stayed behind fiddling with the strange 'phone' device Elka and Ross used to communicate with each other in long distances. It was a female though, but he decided he couldn't be too picky if he wanted in.

Soon, the woman stood up and finally left the table. Law allowed her to get through the door first before getting up himself and following her. She went to a tailor shop, obviously for uniforms, she then talked with the lady in the store until the lady presented her a newly made white coat. Not later, another person came in, a male doctor this time. He greeted the woman and spoke to her for a good while before the two made their way out of the store.

Trafalgar Law was troubled by then. Although it was to his convenience that a male doctor showed up, he had to get rid of the female before he could put his plans into motion. He did consider knocking them both out in one go but oddly enough, he didn't want to cause too much trouble until he found himself standing right in front of Raftearsen Hospital. He watched the two disappear into the building, and it made the dark doctor click his tongue in annoyance. In the end, all his efforts were for naught.

Or so he thought.

"It's a shortcut, you know."

Law overheard a couple of students speaking while entering the hospital's premises. He knew they were students just by their uniform but it came to him as strange that students were entering the hospital, unless they were already at the year where they do ward duties. Although he only heard them vaguely, he could make out what those few words meant, so he observed his surroundings once more, realization striking him as he saw the hospital building and one of the school's many construction connected.

 _Well, I suppose there's my way in._ Law smirked widely at the thought.

=/=

Ten minutes in and Law had successfully 'disguised' himself. He easily found a target to steal an identity from: Oliver Prez, possibly a resident. He found the doctor in one of the hospital wards checking patients. Law decided to take his identity because: one, the doctor had sideburns and a goatee, although not as similar as his; two, it seemed the students didn't recognize him, although of course they still greeted him, they didn't call him by name, just by title. Assuming he must be new to the institution, Law figured he was the perfect man for the job so when the poor doctor decided to take a piss, Law knocked him out and took his coat, his ID, his eyeglasses and stethoscope.

The eyeglasses were graded so Law wore them way lower on the bridge of his nose than it should be normally worn. The coat was also short for him, its whole length barely reached his knees and the sleeves barely reached his wrists. The tattoos on his hands and knuckles still showed but he didn't mind, he solved it by keeping his hands on his pockets although he knew he couldn't keep them hidden there forever.

Quickly, Law asked a nurse to lead him to the school. The nurse, upon reading the name printed on Law's white coat, eyed him for a time. The Warlord immediately knew it was a bad move to ask a nurse, of all people, of course they know the faces of their superiors, but his anxiousness was swiftly quelled when the nurse eventually pointed to a staircase and instructed him to go left upon reaching the second floor, saying he'd have to cross the long narrow path to reach the school's premises.

"It hasn't been a week, has it, Dr. Prez?" the nurse asked, seemingly wanting a casual conversation.

"Ah, yes." Law hesitantly replied.

"So, did you have a class today? I thought you were on duty, doctor."

Law thought fast. "I was called to substitute for a subject. It's only for an hour."

The nurse seemed surprised. "Really? We weren't notified. If that's the case, you should endorse the remaining patients to another." she tilted her head slightly in wonder. "What about Dr. Wells? She's probably free."

Law hummed. "Please do ask her in my behalf. It was sudden and I'm already late for the class."

The nurse did not quite release him yet. She commented about how his coat didn't fit him and about the way he wore his glasses. Law managed to ride the conversation and successfully excused himself although he was unsure whether he avoided suspicion, as the nurse seemed to look at him differently after.

Just as Trafalgar Law successfully 'infiltrated' the school, a new problem sprung: which of all those doors led to Elka's class? Was it even the floor where he could find the woman? It was impossible to check each door and all floors. If he wanted to find her quickly, he needed a map and an idea of where first year students took their class sessions. Fortunately, just beside the staircase posted a fire exit plan. Although it didn't give him the specifics he needed, it at least gave him an idea of how big the place was. Assuming each floor had the same structure, there were at least twelve doors excluding the fire exit, elevators and restrooms. Aside from finding out Elka's location, he needed a plan to blend in with the class without raising suspicion. Since Elka was a first year student, pretending as her classmate won't do.

Law began to walk down the hallway, carefully observing the hall and the people he came across. Most adult and older-looking people wore the same coat he had and it helped him make up his mind: he had to pretend as one of the medical instructors. Still, he knew students won't be so easily fooled, more so the actual instructors present in the institution. He needed a good excuse, just like his earlier idea, someone to substitute for. And as if fate wanted to play around with him, an elderly doctor called his attention.

"Excuse me, doctor. Which department do you belong to?"

"Surgery." Law smoothly replied. It was a good thing he kept vigilant of which ward his target was from.

The elderly woman narrowed her eyes on him. "Surgery? I've never seen you before." she voiced, obviously suspicious of him.

"Ah, I'm new. It hasn't been a week since I started." Law remained calm. He was aware of the difference between him and the real Oliver Prez in appearance but he had hoped that the man's short stay at the institution could at least sway their memory of him.

The elderly hummed, eyeing Law from head to toe. "And you are?"

"Oliver Prez."

She seemed to be contemplating for a moment before looking pointedly at him. "You seemed to have shot up a lot, Dr. Prez. I don't remember you towering over me this much."

Law inwardly groaned. One thing he should have paid attention was the height difference. "I'm sure your memory must have betrayed you, doctor."

She snorted. "Despite my age, my memory's as sharp as when I was in my twenties!" she stepped closer to him and continued, "Anyway, have you come for Dr. Zacharias?"

Law was surprised. He didn't understand what she meant.

Despite Law's silence, the elderly doctor seemed to take it as an affirmative response and proceeded to nag him about it. "That Zacharias really is irresponsible! He should be fully aware of how much workload he's taking! He couldn't possibly teach the kids if he's always called for an operation!"

 _Ah. So that's it._ Law understood by then, he was expected to take this Dr. Zacharias' class in his stead. In short, a substitute, just exactly what he needed. But, the biggest question left still: was it Elka's class?

"What are you standing around for, doctor? Go see Dr. Zacharias already!"

=/=

"Ah, doctor! I'm sorry for the abrupt change, I hope it's not much of a bother."

The elderly doctor led Law to the gross anatomy department in which he finally met Dr. Zacharias, who was engaged on a phone sandwiched between his shoulder and ear as his hands were occupied by various papers. Not later, a telephone over his table rang and he immediately answered it despite his current engagement with someone else over his cell.

Law patiently waited for the man to finish his current engagements, silently observing the place. It looked similar to an office, only difference was the presence of medical equipment, medical placards, medical books and the white coats hanging over each chair's backboard.

"I'm sorry about that, um..." Dr. Zacharias glanced down at the name that was printed over Law's white coat. "Oliver." he finished, handing him two pieces of papers. "Just tell the kids I won't be able to meet them today. I know I made them wait so at least take their attendance for incentive. After that, you can dismiss them."

Law looked over at the papers he was handed with and found that it was filled with names. On the topmost center was the section and a letter followed by numbers: _Section 1-A. T707._ Law assumed it was the label of the assigned room for that class.

Dr. Zacharias didn't say anything more than that and simply hurried to exit the room.

=/=

Trafalgar Law quickly found his way to the said room. The elevator boy was nice enough to guide him around the building, ultimately leading him to the room he needed to be in. It was explained to him that the letter on the label was the first letter of the building's name, and then the first number that followed was the actual floor of the room.

 _Seventh floor, huh?_ The highest number among the buttons on the elevator was seventeen, and he couldn't even fathom how many a floor that one building had. Only, he wondered why there was no thirteenth floor.

Soon he found himself standing at the door of a room labeled T707, and he was glad everything worked out. Law had scanned the attendance sheet given to him and Lady Luck sure smiled at him as he quickly spotted Elka's name written on the first part of the paper. He couldn't exactly remember her last name but he had a strong feeling it was her, the Ardela Elka person.

The room was somehow noisy until Law made his entrance. The students that were scattered about immediately went to their respective seats and everyone quieted down. They quietly watched Law as he walked up his way to the room's front-center.

"Dr. Zacharias is unavailable so I'm here as a substitute." Law plainly announced.

Upon hearing him, a few girls at the back and some boys in the middle began whispering to each other. A handful almost squealed, seemingly thrilled. One even seemed to be mouthing his 'real' name which piqued his interest, of course there were more people who would recognize him. Thoughts of Ross crossed his mind though, and he wondered if those who were at Elka's level as a 'fan' of his world would even believe his existence.

Grey eyes glided over the many heads present in the room but he couldn't find Elka. Deciding it wasn't worth much effort since he could just call her out, he began, "To start, I'm going to take your attendance."

The students were fairly obedient, immediately shouting 'here' and 'present' while Law dryly called their names. He wouldn't even lift his head to check whether it was truly the person themselves responding until he called Elka's name.

"Ardela Elka?"

"Here..." Elka meekly replied, deliberately lowering her voice.

Law paused and scanned the room. Seeing as the dark doctor wanted to see her, Elka decided to raise her hand and her voice.

"HERE!"

Law smiled as he found Elka sitting in the front row. No wonder he couldn't find her, he kept looking at the middle and far back.

Elka was frowning when their eyes met. If it was possible to turn into stone for so much shock, she would have died by then. She couldn't believe her eyes when Law stepped in, wearing a white coat, eyeglasses, stethoscope and an actual ID dangling from his coat's breast pocket. She didn't even want to think about how Law did it and what he did to his poor victim. Dr. Zacharias was known to usually skip out some lectures due to his hectic schedule. Other sections under him had experienced the same thing but Elka couldn't shake off the suspicion of Law actually harming the good doctor. Dr. Zacharias was very considerate despite his disorganized trait when it came to time management and besides, he was fairly good with teaching when he actually do.

More importantly, Elka was worried of what a few of her classmates might say. She knew there was a good forty percent of their population who knew, read, and watched the _Manga/Anime_ One Piece. Despite believing that ninety-nine percent chance people wouldn't believe such fantasy-like phenomenon could occur, that one percent bugged her to no end. Her eyes were glued on Law's tattooed hands and she was beating herself about it. There was no way they wouldn't notice those.

Trafalgar Law continued the roll call. Once he was done with the last guy, before he could even think about what to say, the one thing Elka dreaded to happen took place. One person raised a question.

"Are those tattoos real, sir?"

Elka winced, not just at the question thrown but mostly because out of all her classmates, it had to be Lyra asking. Everyone knew she was an ' _otaku_ '. Elka herself had had the chance to chat with her regarding the famous One Piece title, and boy did she know a lot. Lyra may be at par with Elka when it came to being a nerd about the said title and this made her all the more feel threatened and uncomfortable.

Trafalgar Law, on the other hand, simply answered, "Yes."

"But, aren't doctors _not_ supposed to have tattoos?"

Elka was shocked with the direction Lyra's question was taking. Nonetheless, it at least eased her anxiousness and was instead replaced with curiosity.

"It doesn't get in the way of my work." was Law's curt reply.

"Aren't we required to keep ourselves neat and clean?" another asked, a boy from the far back.

Law wondered. "You mean to say I look dirty?"

There were a few gasps and murmurs that followed next but the boy managed to say, "No, sir. But..."

Law waited.

"But doesn't it make you look like less of a doctor?"

Law smirked. It amused him how these young students of another world were so concerned of appearances. Perhaps it was one of the things that Ross referred to as peace making people 'quixotic'. In his world, it didn't matter what you looked like, or what you are even for that matter. As long as you can do the job, and you do great, then you're a legitimate professional.

"Is there an explicit rule about doctors not having tattoos?" Law inquired.

None of the students spoke up, not even Elka. They couldn't answer, not because they saw the dark doctor's point, but because they themselves didn't know the answer. They weren't sure if such a rule existed, or maybe it was their own subconsciousness dictating their idea of professionalism. There were a lot of things to consider and most of them just wanted to look and seem 'clean' and 'proper'. Even Elka herself had to hide the fact about her hobby as she saw how majority of their population treated Lyra, who was strong enough to be public about being an _anime/manga_ fan.

Law understood the entire class's silence and spoke again, "We're all human. We come in all varieties. I'm just another person with a story who happened to be the sort to show it off on my skin. Nothing complicated."

The dark doctor's answer left the whole class flabbergasted. It was simple, yet brilliant. He spoke plainly, and smoothly that it took them a moment to completely absorb what he just spat. They were speechless, none of them could think straight. His words lingered for a while longer, making each and every student present appreciate the truth of their world: they were humans, being a doctor was a title - they were just regular persons taking a degree, no different than the next person.

Elka herself couldn't believe what she just heard. His statement made her realize there was nothing wrong with being and acting normal. It was normal to like something - anything at all for that matter - and that would never make you less of anything because ultimately, it was normal and the variation was natural as well. She had repeatedly pondered about pushing her hobbies aside to ensure her future, but in the end, each of them had their own hobbies which made them unique - different from each other. Coming from a fictional character, she couldn't fathom how real his words were. He was fiction. One Piece was fiction. She knew Law's story, or did she really? Elka knew the _manga/anime_ didn't cover his whole story and seeing him stand before her making such a strong statement convinced herself he was a person, a human being. Trafalgar Law was real.

The silence didn't go for long as Law quickly tried to resume the class session but the girl Lyra asked again.

"Where did you get the design, sir?"

Law looked at her, subtly glaring. "Did it seem like I wanted to share?"

"I recognize it." she insisted. "From a certain _manga_ character."

Murmurs of disgust and wonder floated throughout the room making Elka frown. It seemed she didn't even care if Lyra pointed out he was the Trafalgar Law in the flesh or that he was an epic _cosplayer._ What hurt her was the fact that however empowering Law's words may be, people's mind won't easily be changed and the few ' _deviant_ ' were bound to adjust instead for the sake of peace and quiet.

Nonetheless, Lyra was strong. She was proud to be the way she was so she chose to voice out her opinions.

"I'm just glad an actual doctor is a fan of the title."

Law took a while before he understood the meaning behind her statement. He gave her a small smile and then offered to teach the class for the remaining hour of their session.

"It's anatomy, correct?"

The class answered positively in chorus.

Law nodded. "Which part of the human body are you done yet?"

"We're done with the skull, bones, back and chest muscles sir!" one answered.

"So it's the limbs next?"

Law hummed. He turned around and searched the whiteboard for a writing instrument and found two black markers and an eraser on the far corner of the said board. He began to scribble some letters and added some words next to them, to which the students quickly picked up right after he was done writing. It was a short abbreviation, an acronym to easily remember the names of the muscles grouped together with similar origins, insertions, and actions. He tabulated the flexors and extensors, with the upper and lower limbs separated with two vertical lines. He discussed a few important, major muscles of the upper limb and lower limb briefly as the students began taking notes and copied his writings on the board. He was also nice enough to answer a few inquiries raised, direct and brief.

Elka was attentive throughout the class. She had forgotten it was Trafalgar Law in the flesh teaching them. She took in every word, every instruction and every tips he could offer them. She took down notes, copied everything from the board and even added a few points whenever Law would say more. He acted like a proper instructor. He was brief but straightforward. He only told them the important points of each muscle and even gave them acronyms to easily memorize them, and Elka couldn't even remember when the last time she enjoyed a lecture.

It was easy to digest and most students looked fairly happy with Law's way of teaching. Every student were quiet and attentive, scribbling into their notebooks or papers whether Law opened his mouth or Law wrote on the board. There was a sense of wonder, joy and excitement among the students. Some even began nodding their heads in affirmation as the flow of information seemed to go to their brain smoothly and fluidly, like everything seemed so clear to them, it was almost like knowing those things should be common sense. Law easily won the hearts of the students and most of them even wished he wasn't a substitute but rather, their actual instructor for the subject matter.

Soon, the bell rang. Law was surprised upon hearing the noise but immediately realized its meaning when he heard the students sigh and saw a handful of them stretching their backs. It was time for a break. Class was done.

A few of the students admired their own work, staring incredulously at their notebooks and papers. Some began to admire Law himself as they realized he taught them without even carrying some notes or even an anatomy book. A few who realized this, mainly those who graduated with flying colors, quickly rechecked Law's writings on the board and compared it with the anatomy book only to find no flaws at all. The man before them was a real doctor, and a brilliant one at that.

"What's your next class after this?" Law asked, looking over at Elka.

"Um, sir, it's lunch break." a boy sitting just behind Elka answered instead.

Law smiled. "Is that so? What's your class after that?"

"Biochemistry, sir." the other boy sitting beside the previous boy answered.

"I see. You're all dismissed." Law looked pointedly at Elka and mouthed the words ' _you stay with me._ '

=/=

Elka spoke with a few of her classmates, two of which were close enough to be called her friends.

"By the way Elka, what do you think of him?" one of her friends, Kathleen, asked. Her brown eyes fixed at Law who seemed to be scribbling something over the attendance sheet.

"I like how he teaches." Faustine, another friend of Elka's, commented. "I sure hope he becomes one of our professors in the future. He just made my life easier."

"I agree." Kathleen replied. "And other than that, he looks real good. Only, I still don't like his tats."

Elka only smiled. "Since he's only a substitute, I doubt we'd be seeing him again."

"Don't say that." Faustine frowned. "I would really love to see him again."

"You're too negative, Elka. He's good. We should be seeing more of him with that kind of prowess." Kathleen seconded.

Elka narrowed her eyes at her tan friend. "Kath, I know you just want to stare at his face."

Kathleen grinned. "That, and of course the way he teaches."

"I can't deny, he does look good." Faustine voiced. "But did you notice? He would glance at your direction each time. It's like he was watching you or something."

Elka nervously giggled. "Huh? No way. And I'm not the only one seated here you know. Maybe he just saw Mara and Lani talking while he was discussing you know."

Kathleen was nodding her head. "Probably. I was actually surprised he didn't scold them. He seemed the type to be strict. Turns out I assumed wrong."

No sooner, their conversation went to getting lunch together at the school's canteen. As much as she wanted to eat together with them, there was a more pressing matter she needed to deal with so she made an excuse and told the two to just go ahead, at least promising she was going to follow afterwards. The two easily accepted Elka's reason, reminding her to just text them whenever. And just when her friends left, Lyra walked up to her.

"Hey Elka! Wanna have lunch together?"

Elka was surprised. Although they did converse a few times before and clicked as both were _anime_ fanatics, Lyra didn't really invite her to lunch until now.

Besides, she only saw her as an acquaintance. Elka wasn't comfortable enough to get lunch together with the girl.

"Oh, Lyra. Sorry but I have somewhere else to go first." Elka shyly replied. She didn't know if the way she said it came out rude since they hadn't been talking much lately due to the previous major exams and their separate circle of friends.

"Is that so?" Lyra smiled. She then moved closer to Elka and whispered, "What do you think of Dr. Prez?"

Elka felt her heart skip a beat. She was nervous. She completely knew who that impostor was so she didn't know how to act. "Er, why do you ask?"

"He looks good but don't you think he resembles someone..unreal?"

Yup. Lyra was onto something and Elka didn't like it.

"Hey Elka! Lyra!" another joined them. It was Keiffer, the boy from the far back who challenged Law about his tattoos. He was a friendly and approachable person, everyone in their class liked him.

Of course, Elka incuded.

"Keiffer?" Elka wondered. Although the guy was a people's person, he rarely talked with her, but she figured it was probably because she was always together with her friends, Faustine and Kathleen.

There was a playful smirk decorating his face before leaning towards Elka's ear. "Be careful. He's into you."

Elka gasped. "What are you saying?"

Lyra hummed. "I think I get your point." hazel eyes locked onto Elka's obsidian pair. "When he took attendance, he only looked at you."

Elka fell silent, panic slowly consuming her. She didn't want to get found out but she didn't know what to do or say in that situation. She wasn't exactly close with the two so she didn't know how to go about making excuses against them. All she could think of was that if she ever opened her mouth, she might spill the beans. Saying less had always been the safest route to take and thus, she only gave them a small smile and a quick comment about the time getting wasted.

"Oh yeah? Where are you going?" Keiffer asked, curious. "It's rare to see you go alone. I always see you with Faust and Kath." he thought aloud.

"Well, um, I promised to meet up with, uh, my cousin. See, he's a, uh, migrant, so, uh, he asked me to help him." Elka was hesitant, and she had difficulties of coming up with a plausible lie when the man of all her troubles was inside the very room they were in. "He asked me to guide him around the area. Our next class is at 2pm anyways so we have plenty of time." she hurriedly added when she saw the couple's skeptic looks.

"But don't you think he looks like Trafalgar Law?" Lyra immediately changed the subject, visibly excited. "I mean, he could make an epic Trafalgar Law cosplay, I swear! His tattoos are already on point!" she exclaimed.

Keiffer frowned. "Cosplay? He looks good and if you think he looks like some cartoon character, then I guess I'm impressed with cartoons now."

Elka only smiled. "Yes Lyra, I think he would make a good cosplay too."

"Right?" Lyra looked at Keiffer. "And you there, movie-freak, if a person comes in and looks like Johnny Dep or Emma Watso, what would you feel?"

Keiffer blinked. He found himself imagining it and grinned in excitement. "That would be awesome!"

"Exactly! You don't have to be so discriminating with 'cartoons', as you say." Lyra argued, putting both hands over her hips.

Keiffer sighed. Although he never fancied cartoons - _anime_ \- he admitted it was just the same as in the movies and books, they were fictional characters, only the actors/actresses were real life people while cartoons were, well, animation, non-living things.

Elka quietly listened to them banter, holding a small smile while sneaking glances at the Warlord who remained in the room watching them. She wanted to tell him to just scram and wait for her outside but, she couldn't exactly convey it in a without alerting the other two with her.

Not later, Keiffer suddenly placed his arm over Elka's shoulder. "Anyway, let's go!"

Elka was shocked. "Huh? Go where?"

"Pizza Hat?"

"No, I have other plans. Like I said, I'm meeting up with my cousin."

Lyra picked up her bag and began to leave. "In my case, I'm going home. I mean, my dorm is just the building across. I'm not coming back though."

"What about Biochemistry?" Elka asked.

"It's supposed to be Med Week." Lyra frowned. "I'll just sleep in."

Elka understood her point and decided not to keep her longer. Keiffer also bade goodbye and left, mentioning he would come back as he was one of the performers for this afternoon's musical show.

When it was just her and Law remaining in the room, Elka was able to breathe in relief.

"That was a huge sigh." Law commented.

Elka glared sharply at the man. "What the hell are you doing?! Why are you here?!" she shouted in both anger and disbelief, not caring anymore if there might be people hearing her outburst.

Law smirked. "I'm here because _you're_ here."

"You could have just waited there! Look! It's lunch! I planned to meet you there and what?! You're freaking in here!" Elka complained, pulling on her hair and stomping her feet in frustration. "What the hell did you even do to the real Dr. Prez?! And don't tell me you also did something to Dr. Zacharias. _Gods_! What about surveillance camera?! I won't be surprised if security suddenly busted in and arrested you, you freaking pirate!"

Smirking, Law merely listened to her complaining and whining as Elka struggled to keep her voice down while doing so. He had to admit, he was also amused watching her writhe in agonizing frustration and annoyance.

"Agh! If that _fucking_ happens, I'm not helping you! You better not get me tangled when the police arrests you! O Lord, why does it have to be me?! Why me, for _fuck's_ sake?!" Elka was already losing her mind. She had been bottling up so much anger and frustration against Law in fear of the man's retaliation, but at present, that fear slipped her mind as she couldn't handle it any longer. The Warlord was seriously testing her and the patience she carefully extended every time Law tried her had already ran out.

Trafalgar Law seemed amused. "Have you finally reached the boiling point?"

Elka immediately stopped. She couldn't believe what she heard. Did he just tease her? "I swear you're gonna get it sooner or later." she then took a deep breath and strove to fill her head with happy thoughts to lift her mood. She had to think of a way to get Law away from watchful gazes. She needed to know what happened to the real Dr. Prez so she could formulate a backup plan once they got found out.

=/=

Trafalgar Law and Elka were finally together. They took the fire exit staircase to hide from the students. Soon, they reached the lower ground floor of the building and found a lot of food stalls in the vicinity. It was crowded with both students and staff alike.

"Is this the building's mess hall?" Law inquired.

"No." Elka sighed. She knew she was forgetting something. "I forgot that this week is our Medicine Week. It's one of our school's events."

"And?"

"Meaning we won't have classes by the afternoon."

"But that thick-eyebrows said you have Biochemistry class."

Elka felt the corner of her lips raise into a smile at Law's description of one of her classmates. "Dr. Cerezo, the department of Biochemistry chairman doesn't really care about events such as these. Only those participating in major events this afternoon are exempted."

"I take it you're one of the students exempted?"

"No." Elka began to move, lightly pulling the sleeve on Law's coat to draw him with her. "I don't really fancy these events. I only like them because a bunch of food stalls come to the school."

Law hummed. "You think you could introduce me to that instructor who's going to meet you this afternoon?"

Elka knew what Law was after and frankly, she was already fed up with all his shenanigans so she simply said, tiredly at that, "No."

Law didn't say anymore. He was waiting for Elka to continue speaking, expecting something along the lines of how he just wanted to do something in order to get himself in the room with her but he didn't hear anything more from the girl. He was partly surprised upon realizing a simple no was the only answer he received from Elka.

Not later, the two of them were standing in front of a certain food stall. Its display were various types of deep-fried bread, doughnuts to be specific, and Elka claimed that she loved those sweet stuffs. It seemed just by seeing the stall lifted her mood. Law believed it true when Elka even offered him to choose whatever he liked to try.

Law frowned. "I don't like bread."

Elka seemed amused. "But they're not exactly the baked ones bread. They're fried."

Law remained quiet, to which Elka took as confirmation. She ordered six pieces, four of which were the same chocolate flavors while the other two were different: one chocolate with almonds and one coffee.

"You have..quite a linear taste." Law commented as he watched Elka eat one of the chocolate-flavored.

"I love chocolate. I don't care what you say." she then moved to the next stall.

"Is it okay for us to stay in here? I thought you were worried about getting found out." Law followed Elka as she went from one stall to another.

"It's okay. Because of the crowd, I doubt anyone would recognize me. And most of our medical instructors already have their own group of friends, no one would probably even bother calling you out." Elka sounded confident. "Besides, it's an event. People are only concerned with what these stalls has to offer. They only look out for food, not people."

Elka would stop now and then and offer her doughnut to the dark doctor to which Law would refuse every time. But as Elka kept repeating the same phrase, Law began considering at least taking a bite to taste if there was a difference between the baked ones he disliked.

For the fifth time, they stopped at another stall and Elka scanned their display before trying to offer her doughnut again. Law only looked at her while she stared at the shelves housing different pastas. She took a bite and another at her doughnut and Law found himself focused at her lips as she did. That was the time when he realized how sensual Elka ate. It seemed she truly enjoyed her sweets, and those thin lips of hers looked so enticing to him he couldn't even comprehend how such thoughts were already plaguing his mind.

"Eh, would you like some pasta, doctor?" the unsuspecting woman inquired. She looked back at Law and found his gaze fixed at her, making her quirk an eyebrow in wonder.

"Elka- _ya_ , may I have a bite?" Law finally spoke to which the woman responded with a surprised gasp.

In the end, Elka handed over her half-eaten doughnut but Law didn't take it. Instead, he grabbed Elka's wrist and guided her hand to his mouth, bending down to compensate for their height difference and chomped at the part of the doughnut where Elka last bit, keeping his eyes on her.

Elka felt her cheeks heating up as Law stared intensely at her while taking a bite out of her food. She didn't exactly understand what was happening. At first, she only thought about figuring out whether the bread Law disliked were the baked ones. She formulated that perhaps, it was a certain kind of bread he hated, not all breads in general. That was the root of it all and then that happened. She felt like Law was boring holes into her, and she figured there was a hidden message with his sudden gesture but she was in denial. There was just no way.

Law chewed quietly and swallowed, wiping the chocolate that stuck on the corner of his mouth with his thumb towards his lips and then lightly pressing that same thumb onto Elka's lips.

"It's good." he said, immediately moving closer to the stall and scanning the pastas displayed.

Elka looked dumbfounded. She quietly watched Law move away from her, her mind blank. She didn't understand what just happened. She replayed it in her head a couple of times until it sunk in.

 _Was that...?_ Elka couldn't bring herself to finish the question in her thoughts. It was like her mind was blown. Her heart was beating fast, her blood rushing to her face, she figured she must be looking like a tomato that time. There was just no way.

Soon, they finished checking out all food stalls present at the area and it seemed Elka was quite disappointed with the current lineup of food stalls for the day. Although Elka still felt her heart racing, and she couldn't face Law properly for a short while, she eventually overcame it as she convinced herself it probably meant nothing.

"I was expecting a cake stall. I guess I should be content with my doughnuts." she mumbled to herself as she took out her fourth chocolate doughnut.

"You sure can eat." Law voiced, sounding surprised. "It's a wonder you weigh less than expected with that much sugar intake."

Elka smirked at him. "Ha! Sugar is food for the brain! I'm not getting fat because I use my brain a lot, genius."

Law lightly chuckled. "That's not how it works."

"That's true." Elka grinned. "I already decided perhaps my metabolism is still as active despite my age."

"Could be." Law smiled. He never considered it previously, but by then he thought seeing Elka having that much fun and looking relaxed was better. It also eased him somewhat, and he didn't notice how much his heart raced whenever Elka grinned at him until now.

All of a sudden, the ground started to shake. The tremor wasn't all that strongly felt by majority of the crowd but the shaking became progressively stronger until it was so evident that it elicited fear and panic among the crowd. Most seemed to not know what to do while others began to drop down to the ground and find cover.

It was abrupt. The whole place came alive and began lurching one way and then the other. The air was filled with the building's inhuman noises: rumbles and groans, screeching of metal. The stalls began breaking down, the glass shattered while the woods thud against walls.

Then the lights went out.

Tension turned for the worse. The place had no windows, resulting in complete darkness. A cacophony of deafening alarm bells were unholy in the dark. There were crashing noises, hollers of people and worse, it seemed like the floor kept trying to toss them to all corners of the room.

"Doctor!" Elka shouted in desperation. She fell on her back and rolled on the floor. Immediately, she covered for her head, protecting it with her thin arms. She got knocked around by people's feet and legs. When she tried to stand up, someone stepped on her hands. Essentially, she got beaten down and as weak as she was, she couldn't even push them away or off her.

"Doctor! I'm here! DOCTOR!" Elka kept shouting. When her body hit a wall, she immediately took the chance to pull herself up by using it to support her body, and then she got tossed against another person and then back to the wall. She was glad only her body was getting battered, and she thanked the heavens that she hadn't banged her head yet. Sensations and images swarmed her mind. She was whimpering, consciously thinking she wouldn't see the sun anymore, profoundly sensing her impending doom.

"Please... Law..." she sobbed as she felt the whole building writhing. It didn't feel safe anymore. She couldn't rely on Law anymore. She had to find a way out herself.

Trafalgar Law felt some people grabbing him from all directions, a few hard and heavy things colliding against his legs. He would sweep those away, careening his way through the crowd in an effort to find Elka. It was bad enough that his eyes needed time to adjust to the darkness. Worse, there were too many people and they already got separated even before the lights went out. Law began cursing in his head as he tried to make his way to the direction where he last saw Elka standing. If only his ability could be useful at that time of need, he wouldn't even hesitate to do it.

Not later, Law found himself catapulted to a door. He got up and found that it was a half-opened two-door that led to a staircase. There were already some people struggling to climb up the stairs, a few even crawling and holding onto the steps. And that was when a small hand with a soft and smooth palm touched his.

It was Elka.

"Elka- _ya_!" Law exclaimed, immediately taking her hand and pulling her against his chest. She was shivering and he could hear her soft whimpers as he ruffled her soft raven locks. "Stop getting lost all the time, _damn it_!" he squeezed her tighter before lifting her up to his shoulders and hurried to climb up the stairs.

From the looks of it, the building was pretty sturdy as the ceiling and the stairs hadn't collapsed yet. It might be able to hold out for an hour before it gives in. Due to the darkness, only the few people who were close to that exit was able to start making their way out but he knew eventually, more people would find it. It was mainly the reason that moved Law to immediate action as he didn't want to get caught into a massive stampede.

* * *

 **A/N: Gahd! I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise of making this extra extra long. I already received my case report for a major subject and we'll be having a couple of exams this week so I had to cut this chapter here. I'm real sorry! I still hope you enjoyed this... That is all, thank you!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Omen**

 _ **Fifteenth Sign**_

Magnitude 8, that was what struck Elka's city. It was as if their city came alive - _literally_. The earth ferociously trembled in vertical motion, lifting portions of cement and stone like lungs expanding, leaving cracks and fissures on the streets like mouths gaping, shaking buildings tearing them down like bones breaking.

It was a nightmare in broad daylight.

Civilians were all over the place running and stumbling to all directions. Elka couldn't even be bothered worrying about them as she was preoccupied with her own situation. Law led the way, running just a few inches ahead of her and Elka could only command her feet to run faster and pray not to stumble during the vigorous shaking of the ground. Once in a while, Law would use his ability to keep the newly opened fissures steady so the two of them could go across. Despite not knowing where they were headed, he went in a steady pace keeping his eyes peeled for a slight hint of safety.

Elka couldn't have known only a few seconds had passed since the two of them evacuated the school. There was panic in the streets with houses crashing and falling debris, tall posts of telephone and electric lines alike falling apart with its wires threatening to capture and entangle everything, cars both moving and unmoving seemingly driven to crash all over the place, and the earth itself opening its jaws to gobble the whole place and bury it forever.

And then Elka fell out of balance. The ground beneath her shot up without warning, effectively separating her from her companion.

"AH-!"

Law instantly stopped in his tracks when he heard the woman shriek. Witnessing the situation, Law responded with summoning forth his room demanding authority at that particular portion of the earth.

"Stay still, Elka- _ya_!" he told her whilst guiding the fissures together, mending the divide.

After minutes of keeping themselves alive, the quake gradually subsided until it finally stopped. Despite this, a few houses and the ground itself still rocked for a short while. It was the longest 'few' minutes Elka had ever experienced, and it turned out that it was also Law's most challenging time pressured survival stunt he ever faced. Earthquakes were infrequent in Elka's nation, but she admitted they had a few experiences of it in the past. She was aware of how it had been devastating some of their neighboring countries and it was well known that earthquakes, in the continent of Aisa in particular, were fairly strong that magnitude 6 must have been the weakest recorded so far.

 _It could have been worse._ That was what Elka thought once she was able to collect her thoughts. Elka and Law both successfully got out of the building before it collapsed and Elka didn't seem to know what to feel about it. She witnessed tall buildings dance like there was no tomorrow, houses crashing as if hit by a bulldozer, cars sliding as if the ground was covered in ice, posts and wires crumbling and twisting, and the ground cracking and gaping wide open as if it wanted to devour. Elka was partly in denial of what was thrust against her face, and at the same time, she was impassive. It was like she was in a dream - a nightmare - and the only escape she had was chanting the words 'wake up'. Unfortunately, she was wide awake, and while she couldn't begin to fathom how she was going to swallow it all and shove everything down her throat, Law had clasped her arm to shake away her doubts.

"We need to find shelter." was his dry statement. He pulled her up, a little too rough in Elka's opinion, and they moved on.

Soon after, the duo found themselves on the road they previously took going to Elka's school from her dormitory. The place was devastated and it seemed nearly impassable even for humans. The bridge was broken as well, and Elka could tell even from afar that the En city suffered as well.

"I don't believe it..." was all she could mutter. She was both in shock and despair. She could only blame herself for all misfortunes happening one after another, and it was getting worse. She needed to find a way to resolve it quick or a meteor might just fall on their planet and annihilate their entire nation off the face of the world.

"Doctor," she hesitated. "Do you think you can..fix this?"

Law could feel his eyes widen in utter shock. Was she asking him to _repair_ the road? Heck, she might be even asking him to fix the whole city!

"I don't see why I should." he deadpanned.

Elka lowered her head. "...Guess not. Stupid question." she muttered to herself.

Virtually stuck, Law and Elka began their walk to find shelter. She couldn't be more thankful that her parents went abroad and her younger sister was entering a different university up north. Elka attempted to contact Ross but there was no signal in the area for the moment. She knew the army's headquarters' location so at the least she wanted to reach them.

=/=

The two backtracked and returned to the hospital's premises. Destruction was everywhere. People were injured, some trampled by huge debris while others stuck under walls and posts. Elka wanted to help but she didn't know who to lend a hand first. She decided to approach one man closest to her but all she could offer was first aid. All others would need proper medical attention which she was unable to give. It frustrated her and she hated her uselessness in that situation.

Law silently watched her as she tried to help the injured. He watched her scrunch up her face once she turned her back from them. He saw her struggle with her emotions as she gave them first aid. He watched her, and waited for her to accept what was thrust against her face, until he could no longer stand her pitiable state.

"Elka- _ya_ , we need to move." Law tugged Elka's arm dragging her away from the school's premises. He was unsure where to go next but he determined it was best to get away from people as soon as possible.

Elka did not struggle. She let herself be dragged by the dark doctor and tried her best to ignore the people around them. It was a sorry excuse for her to turn his eyes away from the injured, or perhaps it was the worst possible excuse she could ever have to look away from an actual disaster.

The silence and the steady pace they were going ate at the young woman. Mind racing, Elka's thoughts were all messed up. Her thought process malfunctioned, her legs were practically moving solely on instinct. Her head held down, her gaze fixed on the soil she was stepping on, both breath and heartbeat erratic. Anxiety, fear, head spinning, stomach curling, she was ready to vomit when she collided with Law in a sudden stop.

Elka was partially grateful for the impact for she knew she badly needed that, but had to stop short in her query when she saw what made the dark doctor stop in his tracks.

Soldiers.

She could swear she had seen them somewhere before. Deep green combat uniform, complete with helmet and ballistic goggles, and of course, firearms - the emblem embroidered over their right shoulders somehow reminded Elka of Ross.

"...They're _that brat's_ men." Law muttered to himself as he carefully examined them one by one. He waited for them to move, or at least speak first, both mentally and physically preparing himself for a little skirmish.

A moment later, one of them stepped forward and spoke. "Ah, medical practitioners." he remarked. "We're soldiers of the special forces. Let us guide you back to the shelter. We need your skills to help the injured."

Law had to take a moment before deciding to lower his guard. "How many people have you rescued?"

"So far, 16 people injured, 22 others with scratches here and there. Are you students, perhaps?"

"I'm a doctor." Law immediately answered. He glanced back at Elka and continued, "She's my assistant."

"All right. Please follow my colleague to the shelter. We still have people to rescue." the man ended as he gestured back to his men. One of them stepped forward and removed their helmet, revealing medium ashen gray hair and almond eyes.

"I'll be escorting you to the shelter. You may address me as Raven."

=/=

They've only walked for approximately two minutes and Law was slightly miffed at Elka's sudden fidgety demeanor, glancing hesitantly over the female soldier every once in a while. True, he himself was acquainted with the name Raven as he already heard the name mentioned by Ross once, but he did not imagine the person to be female. Nonetheless, that wasn't the point. Elka's apparent knowledge about the woman Raven and the lad's connection was what most bothered him. He figured Elka had been itching to ask the female soldier in regards to the redhead's whereabouts, but wondered why she had been so hesitant. If she was so worried, just spit it out once and for all.

"Uh-um, Raven, ma'am?" Elka finally gathered her courage to speak up. She slid beside the female soldier and continued. "Um, have I..seen you before?"

The woman wondered. "I believe I don't have the answer to that, miss. Why ask?"

"Your face seems familiar." Elka looked at her but the moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away. "Er, well at least I think when that incident at En Hospital happened."

Raven hummed. "True, I was in charge of the evacuation that time."

Elka instantly brightened. "Then you're familiar with a man called Maris?"

The older woman was obviously surprised, her pace evidently faltering. She stared at the young woman walking beside her, almost as if memorizing her features. "The late General Maris? Everyone knows him, he's a hero after all."

"Not the hero, his son! Ross Maris!" Elka clarified.

Now Raven was getting suspicious. This was her own captain they were speaking about.

Ross was famous, or rather, _in_ famous. It was a huge controversy, the late General made a bizarre decision to pick up an enemy soldier - a child soldier of the West, of the Valctovoel bloodline, a child of the Lords of Warfare. General Maris was proclaimed to be hero for obliterating the notorious Valctovoels, and yet, he decided to spare one of their spawns. But that wasn't the issue, it was because of this fact which got Raven so suspicious of the young woman. The lieutenant was clearly disliked, _hated_ , to the point that the masses demanded his death despite the late General's defense in having the boy as his trophy, living proof of his overwhelming victory over the ruthless lords of war. So why? Why would this woman ask about the person considered as taboo, and call him by name so easily even?

Seeing Elka looking at her expectantly, Raven decided to answer, ever so cautiously with a few carefully selected words. "The lieutenant. As a lower-ranking officer, I at least know the names of my superiors."

"Do you have any news about him?"

"News?"

"Where is he? How is he doing?"

Raven halted in her tracks and glanced over to the man trailing behind them. She then looked back at Elka, a serious expression plastered on her face. "Why do you want to know? Who are you?"

Elka flinched. From the female soldier's tone, she figured she might have crossed something she wasn't supposed to. She had no idea whatever rules the military had over their officer's identities so she wasn't sure if she was breaching the law or something. She ended up faltering, opening and closing her mouth in hesitation, like fish caught on land struggling to breathe.

That was when Trafalgar Law stepped in. He had been quietly listening in their conversation. He admitted he was curious as well as to the redhead's whereabouts. After all, he was one of the reasons that kept him looking forward to staying in their world for a while longer.

"Ah, you see, my assistant's an acquaintance of the lady Maris." Law plainly stated. "She just wants to relay the news to the lady."

Raven threw him a pointed look. "The Major General makes it a point to keep the lady well-informed." She stared at the dark doctor for a while longer, examining him, scanning him, almost as if measuring his strength. "Besides, the lady herself never has to ask about the lieutenant. He himself keeps her informed."

Law frowned. He figured they weren't going anywhere further from there. The female soldier was obviously vigilant. He could tell by the way her body tensed up, ready to attack or defend.

"Um, Raven, ma'am, if I may," Elka looked straight at the female soldier, her eyes filled with determination. "I'm friends with him. And I'm worried because I haven't heard from him since."

Raven stiffened. Did she hear that right? Really? Her captain? A friend? He ever only showed concern over them in the battlefield, his own personal commanding unit, but made it painfully clear they were only allies, comrades in arms. True she respected and loved him just as much as anyone from their unit. He was an excellent leader, a captain with exceptional abilities, skills and knowledge in warfare despite his age. He even got enough charisma to convince all of them to completely submit to him. But then he actually had friends? That lone wolf? Seriously?

For a moment, Raven had to force herself to breathe. To calm down. A second later, her shoulders relaxed, a small smile playing on her face. "I…don't believe you one bit." she finally said. "Please stop this before I am forced to take you into custody for questioning."

Elka's jaw slacked, shocked at the soldier's response. She couldn't understand the older woman's logic. What did she mean by it? More importantly, did she just imply that Ross wasn't friendly at all? Or perhaps, she was implying Ross had no need for friends? Or was it the other way around? Either way, Elka took offense at the lady's response, making her glare. She opened her mouth, about to scold her.

The dark doctor pulled Elka's arm, forcibly making her turn to him, ultimately stopping her from whatever she was about to say. "Elka- _ya_ , that's enough." he muttered in a low tone. He quickly stole a glance at Raven, who by then resumed walking, and whispered, "She became wary of us when we mentioned Ross- _ya_. I'd wager something has happened surrounding him."

His statement only made Elka feel worse. If something bad happened to Ross, she would probably have enough reason to hate herself for the rest of her life. In a panic, she rifled through her bag, taking out her cell only to find it with no signal still. Elka stared at its screen, almost glaring as the shaking of her hands became more evident. She clutched the device tighter as if in an attempt to squeeze it into pieces. Anger ate at her, frustration swallowed her whole.

"Elka- _ya_." Law lightly called. He placed his hand over the device, making the woman flinch. She eventually stopped shaking, pulling her head up and meeting grey eyes. "Calm down. You told me yourself, he's fairly capable. He should be fine on his own."

"Am I not allowed to worry about him?" Elka immediately replied, worry evident in lines between her eyes that had not been so prominent earlier. "This is the least I could do for him, for all he has done for me."

Law bristled at that. There was a sudden surge of annoyance he was unaccustomed with and an unspoken snarl he kept from spilling at the back of his throat came out as a deep sigh, in which took him more effort to hold back than he would like to admit. "I understand but it won't do anything. For now, let's keep moving."

Elka hung her head low in an attempt to conceal her dislike at Law's reply. A reluctant reconciliation because the man was not wrong. With a grunt, she put away her cell and stepped away from him. Her walk became a jog, and then turned into a sprint as she tried to catch up with the uncaring female soldier who had already marched far ahead of them. She struggled to keep her calm, diverting her attention by generating happy thoughts, which inevitably went to formulating ways to gather information and then planning to reach their headquarters. Elka decided to put matters in her own hands.

Trafalgar Law, on the other hand, kept his steady pace, his steps deliberately unhurried. He stared at Elka's back, thinking how small she looked from their distance. She seemed so small and fragile, and before he knew it, he held out a hand over Elka's figure, curling his fingers around her delicate form until he was holding her whole frame in his fist. The realization over this action tugged the corners of his lips into a smirk, internally mocking himself as he shoved his hand into his coat's pocket, partly wondering what compelled him to do that. The question to his abnormal irritation to the woman's extreme worry over another man remained just below the surface of his own thoughts. It was a wonder how and when he developed such feelings when in fact she'd been worried over the redhead for far longer than he knew. With a slight shake of his head, he decided to dismiss the issue and focused on the matter at hand. And then a thought, perhaps Elka had plans of reaching the Ross by then.

When they arrived at the encampment, the sun was still high up dazzling its sickening rays. Temporary tent shelters were lined up, housing at least four people each, with a makeshift kitchen just outside the front row. There were ambulances and armored vehicles, soldiers cooking and distributing some soup and bread while people in white uniforms tended to the wounded. There were also a pair of large water jugs by each armored vehicles, and Elka thought it impressive of how amazingly quick the government's response to calamity was. But then again, it was part of the main city, and most of their forces' headquarters virtually surrounded the place so the transportation was swift compared when calamity hit far away provinces.

"All right, we're here." Raven announced, halting to take a moment to check on her company. "That tent on the far left has two victims with their limbs injured, perhaps broken even." she raised an arm and pointed to the direction of said victims. "A nurse is already tending to them." she added as her almond eyes settled on Law. "We'll be counting on you, doctor."

Law simply nodded. "I'll see what I can do." he then gestured at Elka as he resumed his walk to a new destination.

Elka immediately followed suit, desperate to keep herself from looking back to the female soldier. Her worry and frustration were starting to get the better off her. Blindly following Law's lead, Elka was easily pulled away from her current engagement in her mind as moans of pain carried by the careless breeze reached her ears. It completely slipped her mind, the place they were in was a place with plenty of patients, no, victims who suffered from the previous tragedy that was an earthquake. Elka had to bite her lip before slowly raising her hands to cover her ears. She had to close her eyes, she had to convince herself to ignore it, she had to mutter apologies in between gritted teeth, she had to-

"Elka- _ya_." Law gently called, abruptly stopping in his tracks.

Elka bumped into him once again, and she couldn't be more thankful for those moments when Law interrupted her thoughts. It prevented them from getting worse and doing irreversible damage to her mentality, though there still remained the guilty feelings she had ever since her friend, Maribelle, died on her.

"Do you think you can fetch me some ice pack and clean cloth?" Law asked as he began to roll up his sleeves.

Elka looked dumbfounded for a moment, her eyes briefly scanning the scene. She had to take a second before understanding the situation. Livening up, she determined it was her chance to redeem herself. With a vigorous nod, she took off in a sprint.

Law allowed a smile to appear on his face as he watched Elka's figure grow small from a distance until he couldn't see her anymore. He proceeded to check on the man with a large hematoma over his left leg. The dark doctor had strong suspicion the man might have broken a bone, but because of the limited medical equipment at hand, he decided to at least lessen the swelling. He also had to make sure there was no on-going bleed, measuring up the man's blood pressure before he carried on. The other patient though, a young girl, clearly had a broken arm. Her right arm was twisted in a way that her elbow was folded laterally. He was confident he could fix it but he'll need to put her arm in a cast.

After his assessment and performing the medical intervention he could, Law asked the nurse if it was possible to get the two to a proper hospital soon, to which the woman positively responded. Because of the quake's damage over most of the major roads and pathways, the nurse explained the bringing of patients to the hospital was by fours only, starting from those with the gravest injury. Explaining it was best to continue their treatment in a hospital with complete equipment, Law instructed the nurse to get an ambulance for them soon, to which the nurse readily agreed, ultimately leaving the tent to notify a soldier outside.

Elka came back with a basin of ice cubes and two pieces of clean cloth. She placed them by the small wooden table situated between the two patients and began to wrap ice in one of the cloth she brought. As she worked, she could see from the corner of her eyes that their injured limbs were wrapped in a rolled up newspaper tied by ribbons of tattered clothes, and it drew a smile on her face.

"I didn't think you'd actually help, doctor." Elka commented as she finished.

"I didn't really help." Law replied as he gestured for Elka to apply the ice over to the man's swelling leg. "A makeshift splint can only do so much, they need proper cast."

"This is still considered helping, you know." Elka's eyes were now smiling. She gently placed the ice over the man's leg and used a loosely wrapped bandage to hold it in place.

Law paused, taking in Elka's expression at that moment. "It's not for free anyway."

"What?" Elka instantly turned to him, knitting her eyebrows. "You can't be seriously thinking of robbing these people, right?"

"I'm not that cheap."

"Doctor!" a voice from outside interrupted the two's conversation. It was the nurse, running across the tents towards them.

Law gave Elka a quick glance. "This is the payment I was talking about."

Elka raised a brow at that, she wondered what sort of payment he expected to receive from the nurse.

"Doctor, an ambulance is ready to take them to the hospital."

And that short statement was the answer the young woman was looking for.

=/=

It was easy convincing the EMS and military personnel alike to let them ride the ambulance together with their patients. Thanks to Law's smooth talking, the two of them were now being carried away from the wreckage and towards the city of Em. It was the neighboring city of En, approximately situated at En City's northeast.

"To think this was your ulterior motive." Elka muttered in a low tone, her eyes still fixated at their patients.

"I figured you'd be better off that place." Law deadpanned.

"...Thanks, I guess." Elka replied, frowning, not at Law but at herself.

 _Look at me, wanting to be a doctor but doesn't have a heart of steel. What a fool_. she thought, almost gritting her teeth in frustration. With a deep breath, she slapped her cheeks and decided it was not the time to grieve. She convinced herself it was only another hurdle in her life, and it meant she had more room for improvement.

Rather, she should really focus on solving the _real_ problem.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Law quickly finished his conversation with the physician ready to see their patients and was easily released. In a hurry, he grabbed Elka by the hand and walked out of the establishment. As the distance between them and the building grew farther, a turn into a corner and Law felt it was safe to pause to look for a place where they could sit and talk to plan out their next possible move.

Unexpectedly, Elka who had been quiet and passive for a while tugged at Law's coat, instantly grabbing his attention. She pointed to the west to which Law's eyes followed, finding a sign that read 'Coffee Ben'. Elka marched wordlessly to the place while Law followed suit, observing Elka's current expression. Law couldn't help but worry about Elka's current state, and for the short time they spent together he had understood that her indifferent expression was simply a mask to protect herself.

Soon they were inside the shop. There were too few people present that the place seemed gloomy despite its serene atmosphere. Nonetheless, Elka proceeded to take a seat in the far corner of the place.

As Law took a seat across her, she abruptly announced, her tone demanding, "I want to go home first."

Law didn't seem to mind the tone she used against him. "Back to the dormitory?"

"Yes." Elka firmly nodded. "All these things wouldn't have happened if I only focused on getting _you_ out of _here_ in the first place." anger and impatience coated her words, an underlying weariness in her voice convinced the man nothing he says could soothe her, so he chose to say nothing and allowed the woman speak her piece.

"I've been thinking ever since we met miss Raven. I understand nothing can be achieved with wanting to check on Ross. If he's in danger, I'm to blame." her hands over her lap gradually curled into fists, a hint of control over her conflicted emotions. Her eyes darted down, avoiding Law's gaze, perhaps due to the discomfort to their apparent situation. "If I can fix this now, everything will go back to normal. I just know it. There's hope. I should focus on getting you out of here and problem solved. But you know what? I keep thinking you don't belong here, so you should have really been spitted out by my world but I really don't understand why you're still stuck here. I don't get it. I've been digging my brain all this time you know. I've been thinking so much already I feel like my head's overheating, but I don't understand why nothing I ever come up with worked! This is all so frustrating! So I thought, maybe what I'm doing wrong was leaving my room. Yes. That's it!"

Elka kept on talking and talking as if she was only talking to herself. Her head began spinning, even her eyes seemed out of focus by then. She'd been shaking, she'd been sweating, tears were already welling up under her eyelids yet she couldn't stop her mouth from trembling as words formed and without a care released to make a sound.

"That's the place where you actually turned up! That's where the portal is! What was I thinking? I'm so stupid for going in circles, but you know what? Maybe it's because I wanted to spend time with you. Maybe because even you tried to kill me in our first meeting, I wanted to gain your favor. Maybe because I wanted to be friends with someone like you. Maybe because you're so unreal that I thought it'd be nice to have you around for a moment. Maybe because this chance was once in a lifetime." she lifted her face up, meeting his gaze squarely with her own, obsidian eyes a tumult of emotion, " _Or maybe because I irrationally like you._ "

Law was taken aback. He wasn't just surprised, he was utterly shocked. He could feel his eyes widening as he watched the variable sizes of droplets of clear fluid streamed down her anguished face, her rising ire evident from the color in her pale cheeks, her chipped lips from all those biting due to her endless anxiety, all of it came as a great shock to the dark doctor that he was left speechless, his mind blank.

"Oh wow, that came out _wrong_. What am I saying? You're fiction. I'm the real one, I should be complaining about all these misfortunes you brought me." Elka was now hurriedly wiping away the tears from her face. A show of defiance against her broken fortitude, a spot of strength in her weakened form. "This doesn't sound good at all. I'm supposed to get you out of here, yeah, I should hate you real fast. Come to think of it, why didn't your ability work on me? Maybe because you're actually too soft. Maybe because you couldn't commit to it. Oh, what am I saying? It's obvious! It's because you're _not_ real while I _am_! _I'm real_! _This is real_! This is my reality, and _you_ , you're not part of it! That's right! You don't belong here! Get out of my world! Just leave already!" Elka was panting heavily, a testament to the amount of energy she expended by merely baring herself in front of the man who held her in both fear and admiration. A pained expression crossed her face as he kept her gaze towards her, his eyes unreadable. To the young woman, it seemed he was uninterested, no, perhaps he never really cared after all. His silence tormented Elka, anxiously waiting for a reaction, even deciding she could welcome violence as a response.

Yet Law remained unfazed. He looked at her, grey eyes effortlessly boring a hole into her, quietly observing her, as if staring into the depths of her whole being, watching her writhe in unease.

Her brows furrowed in a glare. "Aren't you angry? I said you're not real. Aren't you going to retort back? Aren't you going to hurt me? Come on, say something! _Do something_!"

Law said nothing for a long time until a wearied sigh escaped him. "Are you done?"

Elka flinched. It felt like it had been forever since she heard his voice, the deep baritone made her body shiver.

"I understand. I don't think _you_ are real either."

Elka's eyes snapped wide open, staring incredulously at the dark doctor.

"I've been in denial myself. You should know, it's rough on me as well." Law continued, his face plastered with a solemn expression. "Especially since it's only me in here. It's hard to keep myself intact when there are more things threatening to influence me."

Elka's face showed a variety of expressions, turning from understanding to guilt. She suddenly had the urge to apologize, to which she never got the chance as Law continued to speak.

"I'm not saying my situation's worse than yours, but I hope you understand none of us wanted this bad luck." Law gingerly placed a hand over Elka's cheek, a small attempt to comfort her. "The way I see it, it's no longer about fiction or nonfiction. It's about acceptance. We both exist, and there's nothing wrong with it."

Elka's tears flowed, a steady stream of warm fluid once again. She gently touched the hand that was over her cheek. It was cold. She thought about all the people she lost. She thought about all the events that transpired for the past days. And then, she began to reminisce about those precious moments she spent with the Trafalgar Law. Were they time well spent? Were they worth it? Worth all of that pain? Worth all of those losses?

Actually, was he worth more than the life she carefully protected for years?

Elka remained silent for quite a long while, staring at the dark doctor's face, almost memorizing the lines of his jaw, the color of his skin, the volume of his sideburns and goatee, his ears, his lips, his nose, the sharp gaze of his grey eyes. They looked so surreal. All those years, she admired him from a drawing, the scent of wood and paper, a fantasy, a dream, fiction, and now he was before her. Of course she was happy, why shouldn't she, but perhaps, her heart still wept, for she knew it was something impossible after all. Accepting something like it was truly trying, for all her life she'd been living with a clear line between fantasy and reality. The world was cruel, and so was the Trafalgar Law before her.

"Elka- _ya_." Law called, brushing his thumb over the warm tears pooling from his touch.

Elka blinked, suddenly jerking off his hand from her face. "Ah, sorry." she muttered as she urgently wiped the tears away. "Ah, my head hurts from all this thinking and crying. Sorry about that." she stated, a forced giggle slipping from her lips. "Anyhow, let's just go back for now. Can't make progress without moving forward, yeah?"

The dark doctor frowned at her poor acting. "Listen, I'll go along with you but you don't have to fake your emotions. It's just painful to watch."

Elka felt really happy upon hearing his words, yet she couldn't bring herself to smile a genuine one. She decided to push it aside, her feelings weren't important, so she turned to her heels and led the way.

But minutes before they reached the exit, Elka came into a sudden halt as the realization hit her, there must be some network signal by then. Meaning, she could finally contact Ross. She turned to Law and gestured to seat at the nearby high chairs situated by the window for the time being. She then placed her bag over the table and rummaged through her things searching for her cell. After a few seconds, she pulled it out and checked for its upper right hand corner of the screen. To her delight, the signal wasn't just back, but also very strong. No doubt she'd be able to connect to Ross by then.

Law patiently waited as he watched Elka dial the number. It was true he was curious about the redhead's whereabouts, and he was relieved to see Elka sort of happy by then. But at the back of his mind the annoyance he felt earlier managed to resurface, and this time he was fully aware of its cause and its remedy. However, he decided not to act on it, ultimately resisting and suppressing it.

The phone rang for a good minute, making Elka wonder and worry what was taking the redhead long to pick up his phone until finally, it clicked, signaling that the person on the other line finally picked up.

In a fit of vexation for the fact that Ross took so long to pick up, Elka shouted over the phone, "Ross, you liar! You didn't show up this morning! I couldn't even contact you after that text message! Tell me where you are, right now!" she figured she sounded very mean and demanding but she knew Ross would forgive her, after all he did deserve it for being such a jerk, although it was perhaps the first time he ever acted as one to her.

The person on the other line said nothing for a long while, and Elka's worry only increased the longer the silence stretched on. "Hello, Ross? Can you hear me?"

A second later and finally, a voice answered back. "Hello~ princess, this is your reaper speaking."

Elka's heart sunk. Although it was a male's voice, she was one hundred percent certain it didn't belong to Ross.

"Who is this?!" she demanded, anger and fear blending from her voice. The redhead was strong, it was impossible for anyone to steal his cell. It was just plain impossible.

From the grave look of Elka's expression, and obviously from her tone and choice of words that came next from her mouth, Law knew something was off. If Elka was asking who's on the other line of the phone, then he was certain he was correct with his earlier assumption - _something did happen to that brat_.

"This is Ross's number, meaning _you_ 're using _his_ cellphone. _Who are you_?!" Elka repeated, her free hand clenching into a fist. "Answer me quick!"

"Eh? I don't think you're _that_ close." the voice answered in a derisive tone. "And what's the hurry? You're an _unknown number_. Clearly, he doesn't know you so why do _you_ know _him_?"

Elka's lips were trembling. If the man on the other line was telling the truth, it meant Ross was aware something like it was bound to happen. She knew the guy better than anyone else, he was sharp, too intelligent for his own good. If her number was displayed as unknown, then Ross purposely deleted her contact to safeguard her. This hurt her even more. Whatever trouble the redhead was in, it was serious enough that he was forced to cut his connections that pointed to her.

But why?

 _All right, calm down, that can't be right_. Elka thought to herself. Ross was strong, he had always been, but hey he could be clumsy as far as she knew. He was still human after all, perhaps it was his phone that was malfunctioning because hey, it looked old enough, its model had been out for seven years now, that's gotta be it. And maybe, someone else picked it up. Maybe he carelessly left it somewhere. Yeah, that's gotta be it, otherwise why was the man asking if she knew him? Maybe he was going to take it back to Ross?

No, she couldn't take any chances. Elka recalled how the guy answered earlier. There was a sinister vibe she sensed from his voice alone, and no normal citizen would say something like princess and reaper, unless he was a creep, though it didn't make much difference. Clearly, he was dangerous.

With a deep breath, she endured her violently swirling emotions with great fortitude. She finally opened her mouth, and she inwardly commended herself as her next words flowed smoothly. "We knew each other from our last mission together. The lieutenant must have forgotten he lent me his number."

There was a brief silence from the other line before a sudden burst of laughter cut through.

"Hahaha! Nice try princess, but ginger's unit were mobilized to help with the damage control from the earthquake earlier. Besides, ginger here never speaks with his men through his personal cell."

Elka stiffened. What did he mean by here?

"Hmm, I get it, I get it. I kind of have a hunch who you are by now. It'll be fun to meet you, princess. What say you?"

Shocked, Elka had to take a moment to understand what the person on the other line said. She slowly turned to look at Law, almost searching for an answer from his seemingly confused look. She then decided to agree, which delighted the man.

"Great! Let's meet at Hotel Lei. Accommodations on me, I'll book the room under the name 'Red'. Ah, no need to hurry, but I'll be looking forward to it! Bye-bye!" and the call ended.

Elka let the noise of the cut dial tone reverberate on her ear for a few more seconds, taking in the foreboding tone she picked up from the man's voice. Abruptly, she turned to the dark doctor and unceremoniously grabbed him by the arm, hurriedly pulling on Law, as if dragging him on his feet towards the exit.

"Wait, Elka- _ya_ , hold on!" Law called, confused and somewhat irked at the gesture. Although he could easily overpower the younger woman and pull her to a stop, he couldn't bring himself to do it and allowed her to drag him around. Judging from the urgency in her actions and the grim expression she held, he figured something wrong went down with the conversation on her device.

Elka took a sharp turn at a narrow street leading into a back alley and went into a sudden stop as the noise of the crowd coming from the main street waned. She released Law, who in turn wondered about their shady location and the motives the woman held for bringing him there. But before he could even ask, Elka suddenly slumped down to her feet, hugging her knees as she tried to muffle her sobs, which gradually turned into cries until she began hollering at no one in particular.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHGGG!"

She held her head, pulled the strands of her hair as if she wanted to rip her scalp off, beating herself about all manners of things which her pretty head conjured. She shouted and yelled and shrieked until she was satisfied, ultimately turning to the dark doctor who was left flabbergasted by the sudden turn of events.

With a huff, Elka stood up and dusted her skirt. She wiped away the tears from her face and then raised her chin. "That felt better."

"...Elka- _ya_ , mind telling me-"

"We're going to Hotel Lei. It's situated west of here, in the city of El." Elka interrupted, turning to her heels as she checked for the time on her phone. "I'll tell you all about my previous conversation on the way there. For now, I just want to hurry."

=/=

El city was on the opposite side of Em city. If En city was the center of their nation, Em city and El city were both situated on its north with which Em city was the east side while El city was the west side. With that in mind, Elka figured it would be a good four-hour travel from their current location, and that was still assuming the traffic's good. They were going to ride two consecutive buses, and Elka couldn't even worry about their fare when it was about Ross's condition at stake.

It was a quiet travel right after Elka finished speaking to Law about her conversation over the phone. With Law commenting it could be one of the military personnel, Elka figured a battle was inevitable. She always favored staying out of trouble but if it meant Ross's safety, then she was willing to battle, that was why she apologized to the Warlord as they neared the said city.

"Doctor, I'm going to count on you." she began, her voice soft and low. She was ashamed she couldn't even fight her own battles, and even dragging Law in it. He wasn't even supposed to be there. "I know it's wrong, but I'm certain we may have to fight the army. I don't really know what became the problem between them but, I do feel like we'll have to fight them so..I apologize for, well, using you."

Law only listened to Elka's monologue, not even thinking too hard about it. It was true he might have a hard time without his sword but he could make do with a few table knives and silver forks.

They arrived at the area minutes before nightfall. The traffic wasn't really great so an extra hour was added to their travel time. Also, it seemed they had to walk a good distance before reaching the area since no cab accepted their request to take them to the place, which actually piqued the duo as they walked.

That was why when they arrived at the place, they felt less wonder and surprise. The area seemed a bit, well, deserted. The hotel itself looked gloomy with only a few lights on, and it even seemed like they weren't open at the moment, like a construction was still on-going. What was more suspicious was not only that specific establishment looked abandoned, but the other nearby buildings as well.

"We didn't get the wrong address, right?" Elka muttered to herself as she checked her phone for the third time now. That mysterious man took the liberty to send them the complete address, so Elka couldn't begin to fathom how they arrived at someplace that seemed, well, off-limits.

"The sign does say Hotel Lei though." Law dryly stated.

Elka looked up at the building. "Hmm, I wonder what we got wrong?"

And then loud noises began to emerge as if on chorus, engines, turbos, and then suddenly, bright light shone over them, blinding the both of them momentarily.

"This is the Special Forces." a loud, static voice announced. Judging from how the voice was distorted, Elka knew the person used a megaphone to speak.

Hold up, didn't she just miss a very important point? Special forces?

"We have you surrounded. Surrender now or we'll be enforced to use force against you."

Without delay, Law held forth his right arm and under his palm a vivid light blue aura appeared.

 _Room_

The vivid light blue aura swiftly expanded around Law, covering the entire area reaching the noses of a number of vehicles parked a good distance away from them. Pulling out Elka's stealth knife, he performed a swift slashing motion, cutting the vehicles and beckoning them before him to serve as a shield. This bizarre display of his made all of the military present flinch both in shock and terror, except for one person who proceeded to brazenly enter the dark doctor's spherical territory.

"That's just plain stupid. I expected more from you."

He was a tall young man standing at a height of approximately 180cm. He sported a short red haircut, had pale skin, a pair of blue eyes and a rather childish freckles over his nose and cheeks. He wore a long, tan coat, khaki-colored pants and dark combat boots, and on his back rested a fairly long, black sword bag case. The man stopped in his tracks just a few inches from the floating pieces of metal that was previously some part of vehicles.

"Displaying your devil fruit ability in broad, er, moonlight. And here I thought you were a cautious man." he drew a smirk as he raised his right arm, as if relaying a message to the men remaining at the ready behind him. "To think you'd be underestimating human capabilities this much. You disappoint me, _Mister Law._ "

His open palm curled into a fist before he finally rushed his opponent, easily slipping through the cracks from the clumsily lined metals, meeting Law's stealth knife with his own gloved fist.

=/=

"I already said I don't know."

Ross was persistent with that one sentence, repeating it over and over when the subject about the man riding the motorcycle with him was asked. Because of his apparent defiance, Ross was kept in a special cell. It was special in a way that it was similar to a proper room, with a bed, bright colors and lighting and it had its own comfort room, yet it was barred. And he wasn't exactly left free to move in there as he was stuck on a chair, both arms tied behind his back and his ankle was chained to a heavy metal ball. He was subjected to a suspension, but not just any suspension - he was locked away in a cell with all his things confiscated, including personal belongings. A court had to be arranged before deciding his guilt and his punishment, it was the reason for his current containment. Ross was prepared to take anything, although he did think it was such a waste to die that way.

And that was when a man with dyed red, voluminous curly hair and a pair of emerald eyes came in. He was Jack, and he brought with him news, one that Ross found rather disgusting.

"Yo, ginger! I know it's funny but the higher-ups hastily decided what to do with you." he began, waving a hand, a show of his possession of the young lieutenant's personal cell.

Ross did not respond. He simply looked at him, glancing once at his own personal cell and then back to Jack's dumb-looking face.

"Cheer up, man! They decided to set you free, ya know!"

Now Ross had the reason to look surprised.

"Yeah, you heard me right." he dug his free hand under his pocket and pulled out a pair of silver keys, dangling them in front of him as he approached the bars. "See? It's legit."

Ross could only smirk from his position.

"What? Aren't you going to ask what made them decide to free you?" Jack was being playful, yet there was venom in his tone.

Ross grinned, a set of pure white teeth showing. "It's obvious enough it was your suggestion, snake. The only question here is what poison you gave them this time."

Jack's brow visibly twitched, his smile slightly falling. "Ah-ah, again with our silver tongue. Stop being bitter with me, it was still your own choice to go there you know. Not my fault."

Ross only closed his eyes in resignation, implying he was never bitter about it. He knew what he was getting into and he was already aware of Jack's hatred over him. He wasn't dumb, he already figured the man baited him so that he could report him and watch him get punished. It was so painfully obvious that Ross was too tempted to bite. Besides, he knew Jack wouldn't set up things just because, he knew the information was at least genuine so it was worth his while.

Jack was visibly annoyed at the redhead's composure. "I always hated you for this, always acting like you're so superior it's irritating! You're not even one of us, you cursed Valctovoel! Anyway, let's stop with the chitchat and get to the point." he suddenly grabbed the metal bars with both hands, producing a ringing sound as the phone and the keys hit them. "It's your job to capture _that_ guy, _alive_."

"I'm not capturing anyone." was Ross's immediate reply, sapphire orbs glinting in defiance.

"Listen, Ross, we don't have plastic for eyes. We can _see_ , vision 20/20. That man can do something otherworldly, and the _army_ wants it."

Ross clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Those were just camera tricks. I can't believe you people believe in this sort of magic."

"Stop playing dumb! You saw that plane incident! That plane remained afloat for almost five minutes! _That_ was _not_ normal!"

"Are you sure? Didn't it fall down?" Ross remained calm, his tone flat.

Jack was quiet for moment, staring blankly at the redhead before a chortle escaped his lips. "You're too defensive about this, Ross. You can't be trying to hide it from us, right? Is he someone from the West? Is he a secret surviving member of your accursed bloodline?"

Ross pursed his lips, a tiny bead of sweat forming on his temple. He didn't really want to get Law involved, but perhaps luck just wasn't by his side after all.

"Oh. You went quiet." Jack remarked, almost mockingly. That was when Ross's personal phone abruptly rang, making both men jump.

"Ah, what? Someone actually calls you?" Jack commented as he checked on the cell's display. He thought perhaps it was only the lady Maris, but he was certain the lady was already informed by the Major General himself about Ross's treachery and the grave he dug himself into.

To his surprise, it was an unknown number.

Jack hummed. "An unknown number?" he looked at the currently bound redhead who seemed to remain calm, yet he could somehow tell the man was slightly tense by then.

"Oh well, might as well answer." so he clicked a button to pick it up and swiftly clicked another button to switch it to speaker mode, finally hearing the voice from the other line.

"Ross, you liar!" was the first line that came out from the other line, making both men shocked. "You didn't show up this morning! I couldn't even contact you after that text message! Tell me where you are, right now!"

Ross felt a cold sweat when Jack slowly turned his head to him with that creepy wide smile plastered on his face. He stood firm, refusing to show any signs of weakness and distress. He didn't want Elka to get involved. He didn't want her to worry. He didn't want her upset. He didn't-

"Hello, Ross? Can you hear me?" the voice spoke again which made the redhead unconsciously furrow his brows deeper than usual.

Jack then determined it was time to talk, maybe scare the lady a bit, so he turned off the speaker mode and spoke with her.

Ross remained silent throughout Jack's conversation over the phone. He had been thinking, he was certain it was Elka, and now that she agreed to meet the bastard, he had no other choice but to accept the offer to hunt down Trafalgar Law. Frankly, it was his pleasure to hunt that man, a satisfaction he was sure to receive if the man died by his hands, yet he decided not to do it for Elka's sake.

All for her.

If only he was much stronger. He began squirming in his chair, struggling to break free from the chains binding him, not noticing the sinister glare he'd been throwing the unknowing red-haired.

When Jack was done with his conversation, a sudden chill ran down his spine. It was a sense of danger, of a looming threat, raw and savage. It was hardly a surprise to see what the cursed Valctovoel had been trying to do when he turned to look, and he saw the man's blue eyes ignited, blazing in rage, almost feral.

"Whoa~ Still ferocious, I see."

"What are you planning, bastard?" Ross growled in between gritted teeth. He was trying his hardest not to burst in anger. He didn't want to give the enemy the pleasure of holding the upper hand against him.

"Nothing much." Jack smirked. "Just planning to meet this woman of yours. Although it would have been better if it was that guy. More evidence with you and him allied meant more reason to off you, you know."

Ross forcefully pushed his body out of his chains, producing a brief, loud rattling sound of metals and chains, almost as if there was a possibility for him to break out of his bindings. And he did not miss the fear that crossed the accursed snake's eyes as he kept at it. "I swear, you dare lay a finger on her-!"

"Hey hey calm down! It's not like I'm meeting her to _kill_ her or anything. We ain't _that_ heartless." Jack quipped, almost enjoying that rare look of rage and endless hatred from Ross's face.

"Fine!" Ross conceded, a detestable act for him yet a small price to pay to ensure Elka's safety. "I'll catch the damn guy! I'll do what the army wants!"

" _Eh_ , who cares? That wasn't the issue, what about that woman of yours?"

"Keep her out of this! I'll make sure to capture that man, you have my word."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Wow, this took me a while.**

 **...**

 **Okay maybe not a while but _more than a year_ , yeah, maddening huh? Sorry about that. Life happened. I also got stuck about how I'm supposed to put the scene in my head into words. Really sorry about that. Anyway, thanks for sticking around, I guess, and well, I'm hoping to finish this fic _real_ soon. _Hopefully_. Thanks again and enjoy the approaching Christmas!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Omen**

 _ **Sixteenth Sign**_

"Ross."

Elka breathed. She felt like it had been so long since she'd seen the guy that she could probably stare at him forever, yet she couldn't tell if she was happy seeing him by then. That voice from her previous phone call still haunted her. Who was it? Why did he answer instead of Ross himself if he was fine? And what did he mean when he told her to meet him at that place? Why were they surrounded instead? Why were they told to surrender? Why was Ross fighting Trafalgar Law?

Elka could only watch, her eyes wide open as the two exchanged blows. She was stunned, shocked, perhaps even horrified over what she was witnessing. She'd seen Ross fight before, and she did think he looked scary back then. And now, the same look on the redhead was showing. He was feral, almost as if hungry for battle, yet she felt something amiss about the young soldier. She couldn't exactly put a finger on it but to her, it seemed as though Ross was somehow distracted, no, that wasn't it, from where she stood she could tell the lad was focused, but it just didn't feel quite right.

Later her eyes drifted to a distance where she spotted spotlights directed towards them, armored vehicles scattered about and men in uniform dispersed in peculiar positions, standing at the ready with guns at hand, ultimately focused at the duel between their lieutenant and the fugitive.

She was trying to think, trying to simulate some scenarios to somehow convince both parties to back down and stop the fight until her vision was abruptly blocked by chopped parts of vehicles, eventually surrounding her as if to make a barricade.

Or perhaps a cage.

"No! Wait!" Elka shouted as she realized what was happening by then. She ran, using her momentum to increase the power of her mediocre body slam against the objects. "Doctor! Let me out!" she screamed again whilst continuing her futile attempt to break out. She wanted to see the fight to the end.

No. She wanted to stop the fight. She didn't want any of them to get hurt. She didn't want to lose any of them. She was done losing. She was tired of losing. Desperately, Elka kept knocking on the objects, slapping and banging them as much as she can, even kicking them to no avail.

"Let me out! Doctor! Please stop fighting! Let me out! Stop the fight! **STOP**!"

=/=

Upon hearing a shrill cry, Ross wavered for a split second, giving Law the opening he needed to finally push the smaller man back. Ross managed to block by his arm but couldn't completely stop the blow, ultimately forcing him to jump back.

"You worry over someone else even when you're against _me_. That arrogance of yours shall be the death of you, Ross- _ya_." Law scoffed.

Ross gave him a small smile. "I'm not worried. I'm just surprised you kept to your word."

Removing the sword bag case from his back, Ross offered it to Law who, on the other hand, kept his distance, obviously wary of whatever the redhead might be plotting by then.

"This is yours, the _Kikoku_. I brought it for you." Ross simply said.

Law wondered. "And for what purpose?"

Ross was quiet for a moment before tossing the object over to Law who successfully caught it. He then dug one hand under one of the many pockets on his coat and revealed a black semi-automatic pistol.

"…I don't lose, mister Law."

"When did you ever _win_ against me?"

"You didn't go all out, neither did I. This time, it's different." Ross blandly stated as he pointed his gun downrange and pulled the slide back with his thumb and forefinger.

Law hummed. He admitted the redhead felt different since their meeting earlier. He could feel a strange air around him, almost an aura of uncertainty and frankly, it made him feel uneasy. Law was so used to being the one prepared ahead so it was a very uncomfortable situation for him. The redhead felt much stronger than the last time they fought, he couldn't deny he was anxious about it yet he also couldn't hide his excitement for it. It had been so long since he faced real danger in the form of battle.

"Let us see which is stronger." Ross spoke again, this time his gaze was fixed on Law, tossing his firearm from his right hand to his left.

Law smirked, taking up a stance with his thumb already resting under the hilt of his blade, preparing to draw his _nodachi_.

"It's a showdown."

Ross only pointed his pistol against Law, to which the Warlord responded with a quick draw yet failed to slice the redhead in half as he already moved to the side, running in a zigzag pattern as he approached the taller man. Law could tell what the boy was trying to do so he kept his distance, pointing his forefinger up as he commanded the earth to spring up spikes under Ross's feet.

As the earth under him sprouted, Ross made an effort to dodge most of it until deciding to use it to propel himself closer to the dark doctor. With a swift motion, he fired two consecutive shots over Law's direction, the pair of bullets easily replaced by tiny pebbles yet Law felt a bullet grazing the skin on his left cheek. It came as a shock to the Warlord that he retreated a ways away from the redhead.

Ross smirked. Judging from Law's reaction, he could tell the man didn't understand what happened. He continued his offense, repeatedly forcing Law to fall back - repeatedly hitting or grazing Law every time he fired his gun. Law was getting cornered, he couldn't figure out where the extra bullets were coming from.

"I've always wondered why the marines couldn't pull this off!" Ross was grinning as he ran into another spot before firing again, grazing Law's left leg and right side of the waist. "It's true your devil fruit ability's weird, but that alone shouldn't faze them to the point of freezing and not using their brains!" he kept talking as he ran into another spot a few meters away from Law before firing his next round, this time actually hitting Law's left arm, the bullet burying itself in his flesh. "It almost feels like when you possess a devil fruit in your world, you're untouchable it's stupid!"

Law struggled to compensate. He couldn't even manage a counterattack until it finally dawned on him, he was _surrounded_. Ross wasn't magically summoning extra bullets, Elka said devil fruits didn't exist in their world nor did they have any special powers. This realization hit him hard that the moment Ross fired on him for the nth time, his senses heightened, making him aware of the other bullets coming from all different kinds of direction with different velocities as well. Once he figured it out, he began to move more, also pulling one of the torn bumpers of the car towards him to serve as a shield. He made it fly right across Ross, forcing the smaller man to retreat.

"Hey! You're cheating!" Ross shouted as he dashed around the said object. Replacing his magazine with a new loaded one in one swift motion, he quickly fired off three consecutive shots, to which the Warlord blocked off with his makeshift shield out of a piece of metal but then a bullet from his right side hit him by the shoulder.

"I believe both of us are." Law muttered, grunting as he utilized the roofs of the hotel standing behind him, slicing them into quarter sizes so he could manipulate them to shoot the soldiers positioned at a reasonable distance from them.

But they didn't reach their targets. And that was when Law realized something crucial.

"That's right. Your territory's border is visible." Ross stated as if reading Law's mind. "It's true your range is laudable but it still _is_ a range. It's _limited_."

Law clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was aware of his own flaw but for the longest time he'd been using his ability, none of his opponents seemed to have noticed. None of them exploited that fact, and now that someone already did, he wasn't sure how to address it.

Ross took the chance to load his pistol, pulling the slide back and releasing it, producing a clicking sound. "You see, an ordinary human isn't _that_ helpless. We're pretty smart when we actually try." he explained, his tone half-chastened. "Besides, numbers make a difference if you know how to utilize the people. It's silly how most of the marine soldiers in your world are portrayed to be dumber compared to street thieves in our world." Ross quickly added, almost sounding playful and derogatory.

Without a word, Law immediately beckoned the pieces of what remained of the roof back to him, ultimately aimed at the static redhead. Ross knew something was coming at him but he didn't really had enough abilities to know what they were and how many that most of its sharp edges cut through his coat and skin, and one even managed to hit his right shoulder, lodging itself on his deltoid muscle. That second Ross took wincing at the pain was the precious second Law stole to rush toward him with his sword stretched out in order to stab him.

 _Injection Shot_

Ross saw Law coming but couldn't exactly dodge or block the incoming attack in his current position so instead, he came face to face with it, pulling out a knife with his free hand, his right, from one of his coat's many pockets and meeting the blade with his own.

The young lieutenant sustained damage as he met the attack, steel to steel. He only achieved to change the trajectory of the blade's attack yet it didn't stop the blow, even more so with Law's devil fruit ability applied to that last attack, firing like a gun even without the blade itself connecting to his target. The flesh under his left clavicle bled, pain shooting through his chest making him groan in pain, the force pushing him back a fair distance. He tried to stay on his feet, discarding the knife and tossing back his gun from his left hand to his right, making a few hand gestures before finally removing that piece of iron piercing his right shoulder. It was bad for him to get his left side injured, being his dominant hand, yet he determined it wasn't the time to complain - being ambidextrous had its pros and cons.

Law didn't give him time to rest. The tables had turned. He was now on the offense, pushing back the young lad. He had noticed from then on that the extra shots only came whenever Ross himself was firing a shot. There were also times when Ross moved his hand and fingers in strange ways before the shots were fired again, leading him to the conclusion that the redhead was actually relaying instructions on the spot, real time, and was playing as decoy, as a distraction for when the real shots came they would reach their target. Although Law hated to admit it, the brat deserved praise for such a feat.

As the fight went on, Elka, who was apparently trapped inside a makeshift cage exhausted all her strength to free herself. Eventually, her body screamed in fatigue, giving in and collapsing to her knees. Even so, she kept on thrashing about until suddenly, a memory flashed on her mind. It was something about her and Ross discussing her favorite _Manga_ over breakfast. She had wondered why even amidst her situation, she recalled such a casual conversation:

" _I loved the Sabaody Arc. The part when the three captains teamed up to escape the auction house was just amazing." Elka had remarked as Ross served her some chocolate porridge he had made at the time. He sat across her, opting to quietly listen to Elka's reminiscing of the said scene from the Manga. "It's amazing to see more devil fruit abilities. Oda's imagination is astounding, I must admit!"_

 _Ross would only nod as he too tried to recall the scene Elka was talking about._

" _It's just a shame they didn't get enough challenge to show more of their power. The marines were a bit of a disappointment, don't you think?"_

 _And that was the only moment Ross opened his mouth to speak. "…I guess."_

 _There was a moment of silence, only because Elka decided to get a taste of the chocolate porridge sitting right in front of her. "Hey Ross, you're in the army right? If you were the one leading the marines, what would you have done to subjugate those three?"_

 _Ross hummed, contemplating his answer for a moment. "Honestly, Luffy and company's devil fruit ability would be tricky to handle, but I guess they're still rookies. I can get around them."_

" _Ooh, you sound confident. So, what will you do?" curious, Elka pressed on, to which the lad flatly replied, "It's simple. All they need to do is-"_

Elka gasped in horror as the realization hit her. She remembered how the soldiers were positioned by then, and knowing Ross, she figured whatever he came up with which sounded good in theory or in paper, he would definitely give it a try. She immediately got up to her feet, knocking loudly over the objects obstructing her perception to the battle that was behind those walls of iron. She then opted to scream at Law in alarm, "Doctor, watch out!"

She couldn't tell whether the dark doctor could hear her voice or not, so she took a deep breath before shouting at the top of her lungs, "SNIPER!"

Unexpectedly, Law sensed another incoming bullet. It confused him for his eyes were completely peeled, taking extra _extra_ caution to the redhead's every movement and he was certain the brat never made any hand gestures, nor even fired his gun as he locked him into a chain of attack. Nonetheless, he easily blocked it, proceeding to replace the next bullets into tiny pebbles, never reaching him.

Except for one.

Law did somehow hear Elka's voice but he did not quite grasped it until he got hit by a sniper's bullet, the impact forcing him to fall back. He felt the bullet penetrating the anterior side of his right thigh, cutting through the flesh and the muscle. He felt the bullet size to be a bit bigger and perhaps longer, its shape different than the rest of the bullets he'd been fending off for a while now. The impact was so great it forced him down to one knee. The Warlord mentally cursed as he failed to dodge that certain bullet. He knew it was coming thanks to his _observation haki_ , yet he didn't have enough speed to outrun it. And that was when Ross closed in on him and pointed his gun against Law's face.

"...There are twenty-seven men under my command. They were especially assembled to serve only me." Ross spoke, blood trickling down his arm to his trigger finger. "I'll give you time. How many people do you see?"

Law didn't need to count. He already knew seventeen were there, including the redhead. He knew from the different shots, from the different velocities their bullets traveled, from the directions the bullets came from.

Except for that one bullet, the sniper bullet. If the redhead was truly commanding twenty-seven soldiers, then there were eleven snipers aiming at him from who knows where.

 _Eleven? That's too many_ , Law had thought. There must be a catch somewhere, he figured, but his _observation haki_ can only cover a few hundred meters, and if they were situated past that, then he'll have to rely on his reflexes to avoid their bullets.

And his instincts told him there were plenty of other things he had to prepare for.

Ross exhaled decisively. "I'm sure they also exist in your world. Snipers, I mean."

Thinking back to Trafalgar Law's origin, he noted how One Piece's world had a few notable long-ranged characters, even introducing Usopp as a sharpshooter, a member of the main characters' cast. Ross had to admit it was Usopp he favored if he had to choose which pirate to like. His character was interesting to him, as he himself believed what made most snipers so notorious was their own cowardice. Their fear was their spear, their tool they used to sharpen their aim, to extend their range and hone their accuracy. They were perfect supports, and excellent killers if needed be. Usopp was the perfect example of his ideal sniper and he could never understand why the guy didn't have more scenes to shine and demonstrate how fearsome a weapon snipers can turn into.

Law snorted. "I'm aware. Just, I always had a hard time dealing with those kinds."

"I never intended to make light of you, mister Law. I acknowledge your strength, and this is the conclusion I arrived at." Ross shifted his pistol further down and fired it twice, hitting Law's left calf and grazing the flesh on his left knee respectively, earning him a short groan from the man. "I never lose when it comes to warfare, mister Law. I take pride in my leadership _and_ my men." he slowly dragged his pistol over Law's brow, thrusting the muzzle against his forehead.

Law could only smirk. He was certain Ross was about to take his life. Although it was clear he was about to lose, he didn't feel any spite or hatred against the boy as he was convinced by then that the redhead was at least a worthy captain, no, he was a worthy opponent, a worthy rival. He enjoyed the fight, and he confessed he learned a lot about how to approach a grave situation such as that. It was only a shame that-

"Time's up." Ross muttered. And as if on cue, Law's room retracted, leaving the man resigned and exhausted.

"...You knew my limit?" Law asked. He couldn't help but be impressed, almost forgetting his position.

"You told me yourself, don't you remember?" Ross pushed the gun against his skin, threatening to fire at any second. "Back then at the hospital, you said you can hold the plane for five minutes."

Law couldn't suppress a smile. "I highly admire that part of you, Ross- _ya_."

Without Law's spherical territory, Elka was finally released from the makeshift cage. The sight of the ravaged battlefield spanning the ground made her shiver in fear, and that fear only amplified when her eyes fell on the two people who looked like a bloody artwork of war casualties on their last stand, where Ross was pointing a gun against Law who was on his knee.

Elka froze. What was she going to do? It seemed the battle was over. What was she going to do? It seemed Trafalgar Law actually lost. What was she going to do? It seemed Ross was about to kill him. What was she going to do?

 _What should I do? What do I do? What to do?_

It was as if she lost her voice, her senses, her brain, her everything.

Surprisingly, Ross gave Law a small fleeting smile. He then pulled the trigger, but nothing came. No gunfire, no shot, no pain,

 _No death._

And then the magazine on Ross's pistol ejected, falling down on the ground revealing an empty chamber.

"In case you didn't know, I already used up all my bullets." Ross kept his gun's muzzle pointed against Law's forehead. "Look alive, your blade's still sharp."

Law's expression went from confusion to shock and to understanding. "You told me you didn't want to leave her alone."

"I was ordered to capture you alive today." Ross simply stated, his tone flat, his expression bored. "But I don't think even after this they will let me off the hook. I'm hated, you know."

Law pursed his mouth in a self-satisfied smirk. "Ironically, you sound like a pirate."

Ross simply shrugged in resignation. "Perhaps I am."

Elka, who only watched from a distance, couldn't register what was happening until her eyes met Ross's gaze. There was a hint of melancholy from his stare, and it managed to push Elka, making her walk forward.

"Mister Law…" Ross spoke again, his eyes trained on the approaching woman. "I slipped up, and a certain snake found out Elka's connection with me. They want to interrogate her."

Law understood, yet he remained quiet. He was unsure how to tackle the arising problem at hand, so he took that moment to start working on a plan.

"It would have been a pleasure to kill you." Ross gave him a brief glance, his blue eyes glinting in mischief for a split second. "But I'm sparing you not only because of my orders, but because I want you as her insurance."

"I don't take kindly to such terms." Law couldn't suppress a snarl.

"I still have an idea to keep Elka away from all this." Ross immediately replied, his gaze shifting back to the approaching raven-haired woman. "And you should know, about your wounds… I did _that_ on purpose."

Law scowled, of course he knew. It explained that strange feeling he had when they were fighting. Ross came off calculating but in the end, the redhead had the audacity to insult him by actually holding back, purposely missing his targets even when he had the upper hand. His movements weren't completely sealed as most of the shots were shallow, and it irked Law to no end. He had never felt so insulted and belittled by then, yet he couldn't help but begrudgingly admit his defeat.

Elka stopped a ways away from both men, her eyes glassy, almost teary, her frown so deep she'd probably wrinkle her forehead forever, and then she spoke.

"Why?" was the only word she could squeeze out from the cyclone of emotions she had been feeling since then. She had a lot of questions, she had so much she wanted to say, no, to scream at the redhead yet all she could muster was that one little word.

It pained Ross to see her struggle like that, so upset and sad and desperate that he wanted to shoot himself - shame he had no bullet left. Still, he endured it because he did all of it for her sake, for her safety, and he set it all up to draw the curtain and finish everything.

"Elka, I…" his apology was caught on his throat, hesitation eminent from his features for a moment before it was easily replaced by a stern expression. He then spoke in monotone. "I'm here under orders to capture both you and Trafalgar Law alive."

Elka was shocked. She could feel her eyes widen as she tried to repeat the words in her head. "…Me? Me as well?"

Ross couldn't hide his distaste as he replied, "Yes. Ardela Elka."

"B-but…why?" she was confused, and lost. She didn't understand what was happening. Her comprehension had malfunctioned. "What do you mean?"

Ross closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly gathering his thoughts before opening them once more, his blue eyes searing in absolute resolution as they peered through obsidian ones. "Elka, now is the time you must decide."

Elka's lips trembled. Somehow, by those words alone she understood what Ross wanted to say.

Yet Ross felt obligated to spell it out. "I can let you go free if you agree to play as the victim. Just say he forced you into this and I'll handle the rest."

Law could feel his blood boil by the second. Ross suddenly brought Elka in such a tight spot. They both knew the raven was still in the process of making peace with her emotions and yet, he just had to go out and aggravate her.

Seeing Elka remaining silent with that conflicted expression plastered on her face, Ross proceeded to add, "Or you can just continue defending him. Declare yourself as the army's - as _my_ enemy."

Elka flinched, her whole body shivered, not from fear but from the sheer coldness of Ross's tone. It was perhaps the first time he ever spoke to her like that, and the steel gaze he gave her only made her despair.

"Oi, Ross- _ya_ , aren't you being-"

"Silence." Ross rebuked Law, instantly stepping over his wounded thigh making the man grunt. "Choose now, Elka."

Quietly, Elka's thoughts raced. She looked calm outside but her mind conjured up a storm, trying to make some sort of agreement in herself as she vied for control. She understood what the choice meant, and frankly, she never expected it to be _that_ hard to choose. She always valued her reality over her _meaningless_ fantasies so choosing Ross shouldn't have to be _that_ hard. She could never see Ross as an enemy, she treasured him more than anyone else. It was a simple choice, really. Playing a victim was real simple, after all it wasn't far from the truth, she _was_ a victim.

 _She was Trafalgar Law's victim._

Elka tried to speak up, yet her voice refused to come out. Her mind kept screaming at her, how simple the choice to make. Besides, it was like hitting two birds with one stone. Law could get spitted out by her world once she made that obvious choice. Truthfully, she already knew what she had to do. She understood what was needed to be done to be over all the shit that's been going on - all she had to do was throw away her feelings of attachment for Trafalgar Law, after all he's not real, it's that simple. Just throw them all away, abandon them, all those meaningless emotions, it's that simple. All those moments she shared with the Trafalgar Law were fake anyway, she should not need hesitate, it's that simple.

 _Seriously, it's that simple, right? It's…_

…

 **No way in hell that simple.**

Elka's face contorted into a grimace, perhaps of inexplicable pain, she suddenly couldn't breathe and all she had ever accomplished at that moment was throw a meaningful glance over the dark doctor, who in turn reacted instantaneously, grabbing the woman by her waist and running off to the opposite direction, away from the redhead.

Ross was astonished, completely stunned in place as he watched the two's retreating form shrink from his sight. The absurdity of it all forced his brain to shut down for a second, until the sound of simultaneous gunfire shook him awake, albeit rather violently.

"Wait, don't shoot!" Ross shouted over his men, failing to conceal his distraught from the tone of his voice. He turned to them, his face donning such a rare expression of extreme fury. He roared in a thunderous voice, commanding and mad.

" **Hit the woman and you all are dead!** "

=/=

Trafalgar Law threw Elka over his shoulder, carrying her as if she was a sack of sand. He sprinted across the road, traversing the concrete jungle of El city. Law kept a vigilant eye for any spot they could hide into for a gracious moment to let him recover some of his stamina. Not only that, he wanted more to speak with the raven-haired woman who only remained passive since then.

At one point, his mind was plagued by the redhead's words.

 _Choose now, Elka._

Honestly, Law himself didn't know what he would feel nor what he would do if Elka chose Ross. Although he had told himself a while back he wouldn't back down even if it turned out the woman favored Ross over him, at the moment of truth, his mind went blank. She had been firm about not wanting to go with him so it came as a shock to the dark doctor when she unexpectedly threw him a glance, her dark brown eyes drowning in fear and sorrow which only translated to her desperate call for help. Law didn't really understand why he responded in such a way, he was even shocked at his own actions despite all that's been done. His body just moved and before he knew it, he had already snatched her away from her dread that was to choose.

She didn't seem to be calming down. On the contrary, Law felt her body tensing up as they went. She seemed agitated, and he could no longer hold his mouth and decided to crack the ice before he went crazy thinking about it.

"Elka- _ya_ , considering what just transpired, may I presume that you…" Law stopped himself when he felt her breath hitch. He let a few more seconds of silence to linger until he found a nice spot to obscure the watchful gazes of their enemies even for a short moment.

Law landed gracefully on the ground, cloaking their figures in the shadows of the dark alley surrounded by large concrete walls of eerie establishments, perhaps a place that favored illegal tradings which served as their temporary respite.

Law carefully placed Elka down, allowing her to hold onto him when she found herself too weak to stand on her own. Perhaps it was the fear, or maybe physical exhaustion for he knew Elka did a number on herself when he had her caged. Her hands were shaking, no, her whole body was a trembling mess. She looked uneasy and terrified and Law couldn't stop himself from savoring the view.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Law placed his hand under her chin, his thumb gently touching her skin as his own little way of giving her some sort of assurance. Tan fingers lifted her head up, guiding her misted eyes to look at his limpid ones.

"...Are you choosing me?" Law asked, his voice a low rumble so as not to draw attention despite their apparent isolation.

Elka's mouth parted for a split second before they abruptly pursed into a thin line. Uncertainty flashed across her face, averting her eyes from the man. She broke away from Law's touch and sighed a wearied sound of the defeated. "I don't know."

Law frowned. He saw it coming yet he couldn't come into terms with it. He longed for a direct answer - for all that had happened he _deserved_ a direct answer. "Not knowing won't cut it."

It was now Elka's turn to frown. Her brows curled deeper as she spoke, "But I don't want to lose Ross."

Law raised a brow at that. "I'm patient enough to wait for a straight answer, but I cannot speak the same for Ross- _ya_." he said then, stating the rather obvious. Her shoulders clenched rigid, Law noticed. It seemed he had hit her where it hurts. "But considering what just transpired, I can presume he and I came to a similar conclusion." he quirked a smile at the very thought. "You chose _me_ , Elka- _ya_. You just did."

=/=

"Captain!"

Despite Ross's outburst, two of his men rushed to his aid, catching him in time before he keeled over, unwittingly stumbling over his own feet. Though he was keenly aware of the arms supporting his weight by then, his mind remained in disarray.

Ross took a moment to breathe. He was quick to regain his composure, his face donning its usual expression, one that was devoid of emotions. "...Get me a radio and contact Cloud's squad." his tone was flat yet there was an urgency lacing each word. "Hurry up."

"You need to get treated first, captain." a female's voice replied as they guided the young man to one of their armored vehicles.

Ross did not argue and instead, silently nodded his head. He was aware of the blood he'd been losing from his chest, yet it didn't matter to him as he felt like he had lost something far greater than his vitality. Relieving that last moment he saw Elka and Law, he witnessed the woman he cherished the most choose the man he hated - Elka chose fantasy over reality. It hit him like a truck, he never thought Elka despised her reality that much. He endeavored to make their nation a better place for her, a safe and sound space for her to live freely and comfortably, yet it seemed all his efforts weren't enough. It shocked him, and he couldn't accept it. Most of all, it pained him that he couldn't repay Elka's benevolence in kind. She had helped him find meaning to his existence, and yet he failed to make the world a better place for her.

And to think Elka would cling to fantasy, Ross ended up loathing himself for it.

"Captain." one soldier called, a radio on his hand.

Ross flinched at the call, inwardly condemning himself for allowing a mere call of his title to startle him. In the face of an enemy his head would have been taken, and it made him all the more aware of being out of his element. It was unbecoming of him and he found it extremely inexcusable for a man such as he to demonstrate.

He glared at the radio for a second before taking it into his hands, his voice silky smooth as he gave out instructions over it, the firm tone in his voice suggested he did not forget his absolute authority. It was a show of force, a tiny speck of his resistance to his humanly weakness. He then proceeded to assemble their troops and gave them their orders while his wounds were being treated. During battle, Ross made it clear that rest was only offered to the dead and dying.

"Sir!" the men all answered in chorus, simultaneously raising their arms in salutations. One of them though, raised a question.

"But sir, what are we fighting, exactly?"

Ross's subtle raise of a brow was barely perceptible, but it conveyed his thoughts well. "Were you shaken? Are you afraid?" his tone was low, as if he was being careful so as to coax them to speaking the truth.

There were a handful of soldiers whose heads slightly nodded in affirmation while the rest remained still and steady. This response somehow pleased the young lieutenant, if the briefest of tugs at the corners of his mouth was evidence enough.

"I can't explain," he said. "I assure you, he's human."

"Is there anything else we need to know, sir?" another raised.

Ross tilted his head to the side as he contemplated about his next words. Taking him a few seconds, or even a mere second to answer was something unusual to the soldiers, because the young lieutenant always had answers prepared for any sort of questions they threw at him.

"Nothing, really. Just try to stay out of his range," he finally spoke, regarding them all with a faint smile. "and if you couldn't, just know he's capable of taking your lives in one strike."

Silence quickly took over. The atmosphere had become somewhat lighter instead, and the soldiers had renewed their resolve. They possessed strong faith for their commander, and reminding them of how death was walking alongside them, they knew there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Stick to the plan and keep me updated of their position. I'll make sure to give the snipers their shot." Ross stated. He was firm about keeping the woman from harm, with which all his men agreed to and promised to obey without question. With a vigorous shout and firm salutations, the soldiers quickly moved out.

When a moment of silence occurred, Raven, who was one of the soldiers tending to him, asked. "Captain, I don't mean to pry but, who is that woman?"

Ross remained silent, ignoring the older woman entirely.

Raven knew better than to insist upon the matter. She knew her captain, he wasn't one to gossip. Although he would occasionally indulge them in their small talks, he never talked about himself, his personal life, not even about the Maris couple.

But the way her captain was acting, she couldn't help but be curious about the woman's relationship with him. She was surprised to find she was the same woman she rescued earlier that day from the quake, and she recalled how said woman talked about the lieutenant - about being his friend.

A few seconds later, Raven dared to press the young lad further about the matter. "Captain, your obsession with her is just…" Raven paused, studying her captain's impenetrable gaze and inscrutable countenance. The man had never shown them any sign of weakness. Never. It even led most of them to believe that he had no flaws.

And yet, he previously burst out on them, all because of one woman.

"It's just absurd." she finished, her tone too sharp for a simple dismissal.

"She's a civilian." was Ross's curt reply. He threw her a glare, one that was both piercing and menacing. "Now drop your petty interest and focus on the mission."

Raven winced at the animosity that briefly seeped out from Ross. The man was proficient when it came to concealing his intents which explained his enigmatic character, and Raven agreed that this was one of the many reasons why many feared the young lieutenant, while a few, mostly those who accepted to become part of his unit, preferred to admire him.

"My apologies." her voice came out weaker than she'd like, but she didn't repeat herself anymore.

And Ross easily let it go, turning his head away from the older woman. His performance was at best when he focused on the mission at hand. The only trouble he was encountering by then was Elka's role on their mission. And now that she had indirectly demonstrated her allegiance to their target, he'd have no choice but to take her into custody as well, and hand her over to the snake he detested most.

Duty first. Hand her over. Hand Elka over to Jack.

 _No way._

 **No way in hell I'll do that!**

Without realizing it, Ross had banged the trunk of the vehicle with his fists. This surprised Raven and the rest of the medical team. The look of anger flashed momentarily on Ross's deep blue eyes, his fists trembling in an attempt to control his wrath. His thoughts got darker the longer he sat there and waited for his men to finish bandaging his wounds. His impatience was already showing.

"I understand you're itching to go back in the field, captain, but please be patient." Raven implored, her tone soft in an attempt to pacify her commander.

Ross spared her a glance and strangely, seeing the creases on her forehead compelled him to calm down. He took a deep breath and sighed heavily, closing his eyes and shaking away his negative thoughts.

Everything about Ross that time was uncharacteristic to the soldiers. He was always guarded. He never showed them his agitation, not even the slightest emotions in the battlefield. He would only smirk in satisfaction, or smile in contempt once in a while but strong emotions such as anger, and him losing composure was something they were seeing for the first time. They weren't sure how to interpret it, yet they were somehow relieved to see that a man of his bloodline was human, with the same feelings and emotions just like them.

"Are you okay, lieutenant?" one of the medical aids inquired, worry wrinkling his face.

Ross seemed to be caught by surprise upon seeing his men worry about him. It pissed him off. He couldn't believe he was reduced into such a state by simply thinking about the hateful snake's victory. He was stronger than this, it was no time to show weakness. He already had a plan, and it's already in motion. He was confident with his unit, after all he was their commander and he made sure to mold them into his ideal warriors. All that was left was himself to play in the field and bend the game.


	17. Chapter 17

**Omen**

 _ **Seventeenth Sign**_

The young lieutenant's striking red hair was a distinguishing brand of war and blood which taught the people of their nation to keep away from. Jack had long since admired the cursed bloodline from the West, and since their fall he had dyed his hair of the similar color. He explained it wasn't a tribute to them nor an act of honoring them, but it was a symbol of his - _their_ pride for subjugating the ruthless lords of warfare. Even though they were enemies, the fact was their name echoed across the lands in both terror and reverence to their power, and this he held closely to his heart.

When the war was over, the late General brought a spawn of the accursed bloodline into their nation and claimed him as his. Jack felt honored upon laying his eyes onto the fearsome Valctovoel, even if it was in the form of a child, bloody and beaten, for he held a remarkable stoicism, the deep, vivid blue of his eyes filled with clarity and his short red hair blazed crimson amid the blinding flashes of cameras.

Jack stood atop a certain building standing half a mile away from the hotel. He observed the young lieutenant through his pocket telescope, and he reveled at the anger sparking within the brat which showed fiercely at his freckled face.

It had been five years, or maybe even longer since the seeds of hate he'd sown for that crimson color burst forth. His admiration was replaced with jealousy, and it eventually devolved into a scorn for the man's ridiculous pride. He hated the man's aloofness, his all-knowing attitude, and he greatly abhorred his disregard of him.

Jack prided himself in his ability to gather intelligence, whether vital or mundane, there was no question he'd be the first to obtain it before anyone else. He believed information was the greatest weapon anyone could ever wield, and through him even the most useless person can become powerful in the mere possession of the particulars he offered.

Despite it all, Ross simply turned the other cheek, as if the feat was something too ordinary to even consider. Jack had forgotten why he even bothered to gain his favor. He didn't want to relieve that damnable past either.

"You allowed them to escape, I'm sure," he said then, a static rang from the earpiece stuck on his right earlobe.

He waited, and after a while he figured he was never going to get a response, a stubborn man as the ginger was, and it drew a smirk on his mouth. "I'll take your silence as a _yes_."

"Just sit tight and watch," a surprisingly immediate reply, harsh and unrefined.

The sound prickled on his ear, but he relished at the thought of successfully getting under his skin.

"I am." Jack answered, "I believe you are only given 24 hours to work with."

Again, he was left waiting for a response. Jack didn't consider himself impatient, but when it came to the ginger his tolerance had always faded more quickly than he'd like to admit.

Peering through his telescope, he saw the young lieutenant working on his firearm, perhaps in preparation for the continuation of that spectacular battle he had previously witnessed. Jack watched them attentively and he felt a mix of emotions as he followed the whole scene unfold before the puny view his telescope provided. At one hand, he was appalled at the disturbingly psychic-like ability the man demonstrated, and on another he was enthralled at the versatility of the strange power he wielded.

However, it was apparent to him how the young lieutenant cornered the man. In the end, the fugitive was forced down to his knees, making Jack rethink the value of the raven-haired man. Ross clearly had no hidden special powers besides his prowess and experience in combat, and yet he successfully pinned down a man wielding an otherworldly ability.

 _They are in cahoots._

The thought struck him like a thunderbolt flashing above his red-dyed perm. No sane man would be able to gather their wits as quick as ginger did in the face of an unknown being masquerading as a human, unless he had known beforehand. Ross knew how to counter the man's ability, in that Jack had no doubt, and it all connected when he recalled how the bastard ginger kept insisting his ignorance upon the matter.

But it bugged him, how this crucial information slipped his radar. An unworldly power, hidden from his watchful eyes and ears, and to think he had all kinds of connections yet this one particular guy eluded him. Perhaps it was the reason for Ross's lack of interest in his abilities, because he was a much better broker of information compared to him. A talented being, certainly more monstrous than the fugitive they hunted.

The thought sat like a jagged rock in his chest, and Jack refused to acknowledge the conclusion he arrived with.

"No matter. Whether you capture him or not, death remains your punishment, ginger. I'll make sure of that."

=/=

Snipers.

The way they kill people was personal despite the thousands of meter distance they were positioned. They watched their prey through their scopes, saw their faces and the expressions they held, observed every single movement, and once the bullet was fired they saw them bleed.

And this sense of closeness made Cloud feel like he had the front row seat witnessing the man's strange powers. It shocked him, almost terrified him had he not seen his captain step in with guns blazing. Since joining the zero unit, he admired the young lieutenant, for he was pragmatic and fearless. His age didn't bar him from accomplishing feats reserved for the veterans, and from then on he had considered Ross superior.

It had been four minutes since the young lieutenant issued a new command - the blond soldier made sure to count the time. He had promptly obeyed the order and sent his men to the location he was given. With his right eye stuck behind his sniper rifle's scope, Cloud kept a close watch at the two figures running across the gloomy parts of El city. They seemed to have gotten themselves lost in the alleyways, yet they kept advancing towards the south, a direction leading to the bustling Night Market.

"They are trying to reach a crowded area to the south, just as you predicted, sir," he spoke through the black transmission device that was sitting under the bipod stand of his rifle.

"What's their current position?" a voice from the other line inquired.

"Approximately 2.7 kilometers to the south of 101building and currently traversing behind Goso hotel. They have entered my firing range, sir."

"And the woman?"

"The man keeps her close to his person at all times. They've yet to separate more than a meter from each other."

There was a brief click of the tongue, followed by a slightly miffed voice that said, "Change of plans, shoot the man once they do separate. Aim at your own discretion."

Sea green orbs balled in shock for a moment, because it sounded like his captain was, for once, annoyed at their situation. The two figures remained within his sight, the mark on his scope now pointed at the head of the fugitive.

"Is that a permission to kill him?"

Laughter fell then, loud and abrupt, such a genuinely startling sound, especially coming from the aloof redhead, "Hah! I like that," the voice offered, with a wryness that held more amusement than the usual contempt he exhibited in the battlefield, "Go ahead and try."

The other line was then cut and to the clicking sound, Cloud huffed, even as his smile lurked along the curve of his mouth. He heard the challenge oozing from his captain's tone loud and clear, and it spoke volumes of the sort of man, no, _being_ they were up against. The mission entailed capturing the fugitive alive, yet it seemed the only concern their lieutenant had was the possibility of actually killing the guy. If the lord of warfare held doubts to claiming the life of their opponent, then surely he must be someone to be feared.

Unaware of the eyes keeping tabs of their movements, Trafalgar Law and Elka hid behind a dumpster situated by the edge of a narrow alleyway. They found themselves meeting a dead end more than twice since they left the dark alley which served their temporary respite and they were nearing exhaustion, both physically and mentally. The night had grown deep, and after their conversation, Law allowed Elka to be on her own feet. They made it an unspoken decree to stay close with one another - the Warlord's discernible caution to the snipers he'd yet to locate.

This was Ross they were obeying, and Law confidently wagered his own life he would never let them take their shot as long as Elka's safety was not secured.

He admitted his _observation haki_ wasn't anything to boast about, but it wasn't something so small that anyone could ignore it either. However, the fact remained that he had yet to spot at least one of the snipers' position, and being aware of the limits and range of his own _haki_ , it was enough to put him on edge more than usual.

Still, Law had the option to summon his room. With the range of at least 50 kilometers wide radius he's able to create in his current level, he was certain he'd be able to cover the snipers' location.

But then what next?

Even if he cut through the buildings, the destruction won't qualify as confirmation that they were indeed incapacitated. It was similar to blindly hitting a target where he could either miss or be dodged. There was the option of swapping himself and a random sniper, but then it'll cause him to separate from Elka. She'd end up captured, he believed with a staggering certainty, and he'd have to chase after them to save her, a much more difficult and undesirable situation. The whole feat would also cause him to expend more energy than necessary, ultimately resulting to his exhaustion, and as it would also reveal their current location to the one man he frankly had no time to be dealing with, he determined it was not a risk worth taking.

So he decided, no, _they_ decided to stay low and leave the area as soon as they physically could, and the most ideal place to escape to was a crowded area, in which case Elka had pointed out the existence of a night market to the south.

Only one more road to cross and they were out of the gloomy parts of El city, away from Ross's grips.

Taking a quick peek, Law confirmed what he had seen through his _observation haki_ \- two men, armed with firearms and the like, were situated at the area.

 _Two_.

Trafalgar Law was a cautious man. He had kept the presence of Ross's snipers just below the surface of his thoughts. Though the place was a concrete jungle, and perhaps the towering buildings pasted together provided a cover from the snipers' line of sight, Law figured it was stupid to recklessly take his chances. However, he figured it'd be quicker to put down the soldiers guarding their route if he went alone, and as the redhead's face flashed momentarily in his mind, he determined time was of the essence.

"Listen, Elka- _ya_ , I'm going to make a path for us. Run when I tell you to."

"Got it."

The Warlord did not expect an immediate reply, more so an agreeable one to come out from the apparently pale-as-ghost Elka. Her hands were trembling, her body stiff and she was sweating so much that he could see the color of the fabric underneath her now-damp uniform. It took him a moment of simply staring at the young woman, mouth parted with his surprise, before he was able to collect his thoughts.

"You say that yet seeing you now, I'm not sure if you can even walk straight."

Elka didn't understand, or perhaps the comprehension part of her brain wasn't functioning at the time. Law's words failed to register in her mind. All she did was clasp her hands together in a prayer while her eyes were trained unto the path before them.

She felt a palm curving over the round of her shoulder then, and when he gently tugged she followed. Their gazes locked, and somehow she felt her shoulders relax even though he'd yet to say a word.

"Oi, Elka- _ya_ , Calm down." Law said then, in that familiar, deep baritone, and the breath she'd been obliviously holding rushed out of her.

Heat flushed her cheeks, realization of their current proximity finally dawning on her, making her inwardly curse at the sudden awareness of the noise coming from her chest. It wasn't the time nor the place to be fluttering in infatuation, but embarrassment warred with anger directed at her own unbecoming, snapping in a foolhardy attempt to cover up the pathetic images she conjured.

"Yes! I'm calm! I'll run away as fast as I can," it was almost a shout, and the rise of her voice prompted Law to cover her mouth.

A stir then, and Law pulled her deeper into the alley, leaving his ears open to the sound of footfalls threatening to close in on them. It took her longer than it should to gather her wits enough to realize what she had done, and her hands clenched at her side, both in remorse and in preparation for what's to come.

"Once I release you, run to your left. I'll take the right side," he whispered to the curve of her ear, his eyes never leaving the crack of space between the wall of the building and the edge of the dumpster. "Don't look back. Just run to the night market and find shelter."

Elka wanted to ask, _what about you_ , but the warm palm pressing against her mouth forbade her to do so. She tilted her head, a gesture to somehow convey her desire to be allowed to speak, yet Law seemed to have not taken notice, or perhaps he deliberately ignored it.

No sooner than a small shadow forming on his periphery, Law released Elka and jumped at the dumpster, the loud clang not only alerted the figures approaching them but also shook his company awake from her seemingly dazed state, prompting her to steady her knees and to start running.

They pointed their guns, but they allowed the woman to run past them, not giving signs of any interest to pursue. That simple action eased Law, and before they could even pull their trigger at him, he had drawn his _nodachi_ and sliced off the barrel of their guns. He followed up with a kick to their chest and stomach, spinning to his right to sprint off, but a leg kick tripped him.

He rolled away, just in case, and upon lifting his face he saw one of the soldiers moving towards him, a knife held on one hand. Law quickly got up, fluidly dodging a jab directed his way, and immediately proceeded to grab his opponent's arm but was instead pulled down, and what came next was a hit to his abdomen.

Law then acknowledged that they were no ordinary men - _soldiers_ , and there was a whole different meaning when he recalled they were led by a difficult redhead. He coated his arm with _armament_ _haki_ , responding with an elbow to the arm he'd yet to release followed by a quick punch to their masked face.

His opponent visibly felt the pain of his blows, dropping the knife they held while staggering back on their feet. They retreated, yet they held an awareness to counterattack, spinning in a semicircular motion, striking with the back of their leg aimed at the Warlord's back.

The two engaged in a close combat fight, constantly exchanging blows if they weren't dodging or blocking. Law had Ross to thank for the improvement of his martial arts, a ghost of a smirk lingering at the edges of his lips as he recalled their previous brawls.

A gunshot abruptly broke them apart, and the Warlord was surprised when he realized the other soldier had the gall to shoot at them when there was a chance of hitting one of his own.

The whole scene seemed to pause, the silence getting heavier as his sharp gaze remained on the two. It made him wonder, for his opponents suddenly stopped and stood still, acting like they were observing him, as if waiting for something.

And Law knew there was something he should be expecting.

With the help of his _observation haki_ , he identified an unsurprisingly fast bullet flying towards him, the trajectory seemingly aimed precisely at his heart.

"And he said he was supposed to capture me alive," he muttered to himself as he stayed still, ready to meet the rushing bullet against his skin.

Law knew simply dodging won't stop his enemy from trying and sniping him again, so he chose the bolder choice of showing them that ordinary bullets simply couldn't hurt him if he so choose.

Underneath his shirt was skin clad in black armor created by his _armament haki_. They couldn't see it, they couldn't tell either. All they saw was the bullet rebounding off his chest, and the sniper who kept a close watch of the man he intended to kill found it peculiar, for he was certain he had hurt the man earlier with the same bullet, and yet now it seemed it was only an illusion.

Or perhaps, they simply couldn't distract him enough just as their captain did.

He smirked, and _that_ provoked both soldiers present, inciting them into action. The soldier with a gun was easily neutralized, but the other seemed adept with close quarters combat that Law found himself unable to finish their battle as quick and efficient as he'd like.

One minute and he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity to the the moves his opponent delivered, more accurate and deadly, and when a gloved hand aimed at his neck, understanding befell him.

Law parried, countering with a blackened fist to the soldier's epigastrium. A cough of blood and they backed away, a hand resting over the area suffering the blow.

"You're his master."

The words rolled off his tongue, bordering between a question and a statement, but it hung dry as silence was the only response he received, at least if not for a grunt escaping his opponent's lips. They then pulled out another knife from the lower pocket of their pants and assumed a stance once more.

If he didn't know better, he would have bitten their bait. Ross was his real opponent, and they were distractions, merely stalling time. He threw a glance to the direction in which Elka went, and oddly enough her presence was missed. But he had no time to entertain his feelings, he had taken notice of another bullet coming from his left side, and by then he had a rough grasp of the sniper's position.

He must have been getting rusty, taking him a couple of minutes before realizing what Ross had in store for him. He got overly preoccupied by the fact that eleven men were in hiding, aiming to snipe him when in reality, there must only be one man left. If all eleven men were snipers, then there would be lesser options for changes in planning and implementation, and Ross struck him as the type of man who liked adapting to situations, where certain adjustments required flexible men.

At most, he should have only three snipers. But at that moment, the dark doctor was certain there was only one.

Law immediately summoned his room, and perhaps Ross said something about his ability to his men, judging from the way his opponent reacted upon seeing the light blue aura appear below his palm. He then stepped aside, deftly evading the incoming bullet while at the same time, preparing a roundhouse kick before muttering the words _shambles_ , finally striking the unknown figure abruptly appearing in place of his previous opponent.

The fall of his foot landed at the back of the blond man's neck, abruptly rendering him unconscious. The sniper rifle he still clutched seemed to fold under the force of Law's leg as it got caught between them, and the heavy thud of the body against solid ground was the last sound heard within their vicinity.

On the other hand, the soldier who previously locked the fugitive into a hand-to-hand combat stood idly by the empty bipod stand, baffled at the sudden change of scenery, such an unexplainable occurrence.

Not later, a voice mixed with buzzing sounds fizzled below them, "What's the status? Report immediately."

It took the soldier a moment before they decided to pick up the radio lying on the ground, pulling down the baclava that covered the lower half of their face so the words they spoke could be heard clearly and audibly.

"...It's Lumiere, captain."

"Lumi?"

"Yes sir," a voice of a female, a dulcet tone yet hardened. When she spoke next, there was an underlying consternation, "I…don't know what happened, sir. I can see sir Cloud's bipod stand but he and his rifle are absent."

There was a long pause, then a small huff of breath, "I understand," the voice was leveled, a sort of knowing laced within it, "And your position before that?"

"Road 3, behind the Night Market's Elinia shop," the firmness in her tone suggested her previous panic was now gone, her composure regained after the knowledge of her captain's comprehension to the mysterious event she experienced. "I have fought the fugitive there until approximately one minute and twenty-eight seconds ago."

"Good work," was the brief reply before the connection was cut off.

Lumiere idled for a moment, the last two words echoing in her brain. The lieutenant rarely gave them praises, yet at least this time it sounded to her as one, though curt. She lifted her face then, staring blankly at the landscape before her, where little lights flickered across the long stretch of pitch-black, and to the south the brilliant sparkles of night life. A cool breeze caressed her bruised face, ignoring the slight stings as she allowed herself to admire the sight before her. _Snipers have it nice_ , she thought, but she figured they never even spared time to appreciate the view.

And then a voice rang at the back of her mind, _you're his master_ , it said, and she couldn't suppress a smile from surfacing along the thin line of her lips. "Master, huh," she mumbled, almost mocking the term itself, and then a snort before turning to leave, "What a silly joke."

=/=

Trafalgar Law emerged from the alley and found himself standing in a busy sidewalk. There were clamors of various sounds such as the trivial chattering, the mechanical noises of cars and even the clashing music booming from the stereos of a few stores across each other. Though he liked silence, after what he'd gone through on that night, the lively streets of Night Market came to be such a welcoming sight.

To his surprise, people didn't seem to be too bothered by his presence, what with the condition his clothes were in, tattered and bloodied, though a few did react and stayed away from him when they did notice, but overall, causing panic seemed unlikely at the time. Some would look at him strangely, while others ogled him like he was some sort of freak show, but they didn't do anything regardless, be it approach him or call some authorities to deal with him. All they did was simply stare - hell, they were gawking at him but easily lost interest once he was out of their field of vision.

It amused the Warlord. It felt so similar to his world, where the powerless would only look at the beaten, seemingly dumbfounded, unable to act until finally settling on feigning ignorance.

There was nothing wrong with it, he thought, after all, if anyone wanted to preserve their own lives, it was best to simply keep to themselves.

Law continued to walk. He had to find Elka first, and knowing which direction she took he had an idea where to find her.

But then a man in uniform stood in front of him, obviously an attempt to block his way. "You!"

He halted, grey eyes glaring downwards as to meet the shorter man's gaze. Law didn't bother concealing his hostility from the guy, not when he was already feeling fatigued.

"Why are you in such a mess? Was there a fight?"

Law raised a brow at that, "Does it concern you?"

"But of course! I'm with the police," the man grabbed something out of his pocket and showed a card, in which a name and a crest was printed on it. "I patrol these streets tonight," he patiently explained as he then put away his ID. "I am a friend, sir, understand I only want to help."

He frowned. If he was going to get help from the authorities, he might as well be telling the redhead he surrenders. However -

"There was a fight," he said then, gesturing over his shoulder, "I got caught in it," he had to pause, he stared at the man in search of even the tiniest hint of suspicion before he continued, "They think I'm with the guys they beat so they're after me too."

"Is that so," the officer leaned to the side, straining his eyes to see if there truly were people coming after the 'civilian' before him, "Then may I offer you to come to the police station for now? We'll shelter you there until we find your offender, sir."

"I was hoping you can help me treat my wounds."

The police officer looked surprised at that, leaving him stunned for a second before replying, "Well, we do have people with medical expertise at the station."

"If it isn't obvious yet, I'm a doctor." Law deadpanned, pointing at the name embroidered over the white coat he was wearing. Although it was tattered and some blood stained the name, the letters _M.D._ was still visible, and readable.

"...We have bandages and a first aid kit back at the station," the man offered then, understanding evident from his expression. "Please do follow me, sir."

And when they arrived at the place, the dark doctor wasn't even the least bit surprised when he found Elka seating on one chair across the table of a lady officer, who seemed to be giving her baseless reassurances as one other officer helped tend to her bruises.

It was one of the reasons why he allowed the officer to take him, for he knew the first thing Elka would go for was the authorities. Of course, Law argued it was the dumbest thing to do since the _military_ was after them. As long as they were affiliated with the law, they would not think twice about handing over some injured stranger to soldiers.

But then, there was nowhere else to go.

Law knew this, and understood how Elka would act on the situation, and somehow it brought him a silly sense of pride, that he knew the young woman better then.

Soon their eyes met, yet none of them seemed willing to make a move. Elka sat still on the chair, but kept her eyes on him, obsidian like the back of his blade, and the worry he expected her to wear was gone. It amused him, it seemed he judged the lady officer a bit too hasty. Perhaps her assurances weren't baseless, for they seemed to have worked their magic on her, making the aspiring doctor calm, and the shaking leaf that was with him at that dark alley was nowhere to be found.

He acknowledged the woman's intention, and he was the first to break their gaze. It was way faster to just tend to his wounds and get over it rather than having him to explain how the two of them knew each other or were related. After all, they might have conflicting stories to tell, and suspicion was the last thing they needed to earn from the police officers.

The dark doctor worked quickly on his injuries, removing the bullets buried on his arm and thigh, bandaging them and the few cuts he sustained from stray bullets. And as he worked he felt the tender scrutiny of the young woman, dark and fierce, and it felt so uncanny that a part of him recoiled violently. Perhaps it was the stress, and she was unconsciously lashing out on him in her own little way. But he never expected her silent stare could cut that deep, and for the first time he felt a bit excited by the small discovery of her character.

Later, he felt the sting on his thigh, the only deep wound he sustained, the sniper bullet he failed to swap, or even dodge. The thought of being outsmarted was something that irked the Warlord more than he expected himself to be, because it wasn't even anything special, just some ordinary bullet fired by an ordinary sniper headed by an ordinary man -

 _A non-devil fruit user._

In his world, there were men just as strong, or even stronger despite having no devil fruit abilities, but Ross was unlike them. He had no _haki_ \- no, perhaps he did have it, just couldn't or didn't know how to use it.

A non-devil fruit _and_ a non- _haki_ user outsmarted him, _defeated him_ , and there was nothing more humiliating to him than that.

Upon finishing the last bandage over his arm, Law felt the ominous presence of a couple of men in military uniform entering the place. And instinctively, he grabbed his _nodachi_ and took Elka by the arm, but the woman made a gesture to shush and pulled him behind the cubicle that was where the lady officer she previously spoke to.

Law was about to throw her a query but stopped himself when he saw the lady officer handing him some papers.

"Officer Van told me your story. You should narrate everything in writing for record, and then you may leave, doctor."

He glanced at the paper and then at Elka, and it seemed she wanted him to take it and -

 _Hide_ , was the word she mouthed at him and Law, for once, obeyed without argument.

He took the papers and sat down behind the desk, and Elka followed. As he wrote lies on the paper, he kept his ears open at the conversation taking place between the military men and the police, all the while searching for a way to escape the whole place without attracting unwanted attention.

But hiding was never a viable option, and as he anticipated, footsteps seemed to grow louder just as the voices.

Law immediately got up from his chair and grabbed Elka, "This is Ross- _ya_ we're up against. We can't hide," he hissed low, creating his room and swapping himself with a random person outside the police station.

Although Elka was unaffected by his devil fruit ability, he never really tried if it could work indirectly, and the answer he got was the worse, standing in the middle of the crowded streets of Night Market, _alone_.

There was no way he'd leave Elka, so he swapped again, and by then he found himself face to face with the military personnel visiting the police station. The unfamiliar face, and the dark brown color of his hair made him breathe in relief. Even though it was still considered unfortunate to cross _his_ men, at least _he_ himself was not around, and Law decided that was fortunate enough.

They were obviously caught off guard, so startled that they were unable to act before Law had knocked them out by the hilt of his blade. He then grabbed Elka, who in turn looked just as startled as the men he had beaten. Nonetheless, he dragged her out of the station.

The Night Market remained uncaring for their dilemma, even when four other men in military uniform, who were situated a little ways from the station, hurried to follow their trail as soon as they took notice.

It was a game of tag, a rabbit hunt, and Law was sure as hell prepared to show the arrogant redhead who between them was _the_ rabbit.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello dear readers!  
**

 **Okay so, life has been quite the challenge for me this past semester (it's our brief sem break now, yay) so I couldn't update. BUT! For some reason, I struggled writing the action scenes in my head for quite some time. I had some drawings of the scenes and it really took me a while to actually translate them into words. I don't know if I delivered but at the very least, I hope the way I wrote the action scenes could instill a picture in your minds. If not, well, I guess I just need to improve more, yes?**

 **Also, I know it took me like, _several months_ (sorry I lost count) to finally continue this and I even had the audacity to start a new fanfic in a different anime/manga so I understand if you all are tired and angry at me. Please, I'll accept it. You have all rights, especially when I realize this is way _shorter than usual_. Anyway, I only want to _thank you_ for your _patience_ with me and for your _continued support_ and for the _time you invest_ in reading this fic of mine. I know I ain't the best but please be assured I pour my best when I do write! I do read and appreciate your reviews/comments and I'm sorry if I don't reply to them. I just don't know what to say... Again, many thanks and I hope you enjoyed this update!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Omen**

 _ **Eighteenth Sign**_

"M-maybe we should stop running…!"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Trafalgar Law told himself they weren't trying to escape, but rather they were searching for a suitable stage, preferably somewhere with less audience and more space for movement, to fight it out. Elka was with him, and he knew very well how the girl would react if he involved the civilians around them.

Elka was afraid, it showed on her face and he didn't miss the quaver in her voice when she spoke. She was terrified of the consequences, of breaking the law, of becoming a fugitive - or maybe her greatest fear was the possibility of ending her friendship with Ross. The thought got him in a sour mood.

The dark doctor had a vague idea why the army wanted him. And he was even shocked at himself when he easily shoved aside the notion of Ross selling him out to the army he directly served. It should be his first thought, but after facing him in battle multiple times, Law subconsciously built some sort of trust on him.

So the question remained, and although he was certain he didn't commit any violation or offenses so far, and even though he was a pirate, essentially a criminal in that world too, he'd yet to commit any atrocities worthy of the army's notice.

But perhaps it wasn't about him being a criminal, but simply being _him_ \- an entity from another world.

He had brazenly displayed his devil fruit abilities earlier, perhaps a grave mistake he never really accounted, and he recalled the redhead straight up deriding him for it at the encounter. They were people belonging to a world without devil fruits and sky islands, a world without pirates and _haki_ \- a world where One Piece was _fiction_ \- such an abhorrent term.

Perhaps the army coveted his power, or maybe dreaded it.

 _How did they know?_

If he was so convinced Ross was clear, then where did they get the information? How did they come to know of his existence?

Maybe it was one of the many reasons why the woman was so adamant about forbidding his usage of devilish powers. In that new, foreign world he was in, the people there had unfathomable ways to obtain information, reminding him to that time when Ross showed him a footage of the robbery act he was entangled with on the first day he came into that world. They had technology so advance, that it was only a matter of time before he was found to be an alien invading their society.

Nevertheless, Law could understand the meaning behind their actions, but he just couldn't grasp why Elka was included in the list. Ross told him about a 'snake', but it didn't quite make sense to him, the capture of Elka was too out of place.

Or maybe it was related to the thing he mentioned about being 'hated'.

He spared a glance at the woman, who still wore a panicked expression as they ran through the busy streets of Night Market. They collided against a number of people already, some spilled their things, others lost balance and fell, resulting to most of them yelling curses at them. It didn't bother him, though he admitted it attracted the attention of their pursuers and ensured they won't lose track of them. It didn't matter, he wanted to take them on anyways, just not at the current environment.

Elka, however, seemed to care a lot, muttering apologies while looking back at the persons they inadvertently hurt, distressed or perhaps scared. And to make it worse, she would almost trip, putting her weight on Law's arm and ending up slowing down their pace once in a while. The pirate captain had considered to throw her over his shoulder several times but decided against it, for it will limit his movement and vision. Their hunter was full of surprises, and circumstances warned him it was deleterious to compromise his sense of sight and range of motion.

"We should really stop!" Elka suddenly pulled hard at the dark doctor's arm, almost coming to a stop.

Obviously, the action irritated Law to an astronomical level. It was a time of urgency, and the woman decided to act stupid and suggested pure lunacy. But there was no time to remind her of her place, so he responded with a harder pull, forcing her to keep up with him lest she wanted to trip and fall flat on her face, and he made certain to let her know he was ready to drag her around like a broken doll with no remorse if it ever came to that point.

She kept at it though, struggling to have him stop in his tracks, persistent and extremely annoying.

His patience already worn thin, Law abruptly stopped and turned to her, large tan hand enclosed around her throat. Startled, she looked up into his face and met silver gray eyes, glaring down at her, teeth bared in a grimace.

"Unless you want me to slaughter your people here and now, you _will_ obey me."

She gasped for breath, and at the moment she clawed at his grip, she felt his hold slightly loosening. Perhaps the choking part was unintentional.

"This might be a trap," she croaked out.

He sneered, "And what do _you_ know about traps?"

"I know Ross well enough to know how his brain works," she answered, a hint of panic lingered still on her face yet a flare of resolute confidence sparked in her obsidian eyes, "The ones chasing us are trying to corner us to someplace. It's an ambush."

He wondered, quirking a brow in slight surprise, and perhaps in consideration. "How do you know that?"

She gulped, hesitant for a moment before deciding to answer back, "Woman's intuition."

He narrowed his eyes, confused then angry. It was no time to dilly-dally and the answer he received was clearly unsatisfactory. "If that's the case then I'll have to trust _my_ intuition and," he pulled her closer, releasing her from his grip and instead, wrapping an arm around her waist to casually lift her up, throwing her over his shoulder before resuming his sprint, "get back to running."

She did not seem willing to give up just yet. Telling 'stop, stop' nonstop directly to his ear, she flailed about and made it hard for the dark doctor to keep a steady pace, pushing his already limited patience to its extreme limit until he exploded, halting in his tracks and tossing the woman impetuously over to the ground.

She landed heavily on her bottom, but the pain she received from the impact against solid ground was easily forgotten when she saw the Warlord create his room and threateningly gesture to his _nodachi_.

"What is it with _you_ , woman? Do you want me to dye this city of yours red?" he hissed low, his gaze cold and cruel, just like the icy tone he used the first time they had met.

But unlike their first meeting, there was nary a hint of fear on her face, only defiance and conviction.

"It's not just intuition. I've heard the whole idea from him once," she got up to her feet, holding his gaze fiercely and never breaking eye contact as she stepped closer to him, "You may be a Warlord, the 'Surgeon of Death' even, but you're just one man. Ross commands a unit of skilled soldiers, veterans, and I've heard they are the kind of men who are _not_ afraid of death - of your very epithet."

He was taken aback, marveling at her sudden show of confidence. A while ago she was a cowering mess, and now out of nowhere she had the nerve to talk him down, the guts to threaten the man she clearly feared for the most parts.

Him, of all people.

Rage crossed his features for a split second before composing himself. "You dare say I'm incapable of dealing with hordes of _average_ people?"

"They aren't average," was her quick reply, her gaze seemingly sharpening as the seconds ticked, "And their numbers _can_ make it harder for you."

"I have the capability to turn this city upside down, Elka- _ya_."

"And he, you. You will be exhausting yourself by making an example out of this city, and he _will_ seize you in your drained state, doctor. The same goes when you bite his bait. That's what Ross is."

He shot her a glare for a moment before rolling his eyes in acquiescence, his room disappearing in response as well. Chucking his sword over his shoulder, he released a sigh and began to scour the area, his eyes gliding over several heads before focusing on a few quick movements among the crowd that suspiciously approached their vicinity.

"You… It sounds like you're betraying him," he announced, his gaze directed at the crowd as he paused, and then returned to the woman beside him, "Or are you betraying _me_?"

"I'm not betraying anyone."

"You're essentially betraying _someone_. If you're lying, then you're baiting me. If it's the truth, then you're exposing his secret to me, the man he declared to be an enemy."

"I'm not lying, and it's no secret," she spoke with a staggering certainty, as if it was common knowledge, and somehow it astonished the pirate captain, "He's the type to tell everyone he's going to attack before landing a blow just so they can stand a chance against him. Danger is his middle name."

Law hummed, amused by this new-found knowledge about his stubborn adversary, but it disconcerted him somewhat, for the information might have been a trick as well. For all he knew, she must have been lied to. There was no denying the redhead was a sly fox when it came to tactical warfare, but the same could be said to him.

When the movement seemed to have vanished, he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her inside the nearby clothing store, urging her to hide behind the racks while he kept watch of the military men obscured by the crowd. She didn't protest, even being enthusiastic about it, jumping into a tall trestle filled with long gowns, blending in with the dresses. She peeked her head out slightly to call him over, suggesting he hide too.

But he didn't.

"It can go the other way around. He probably knows you just as well to understand how _your_ brain works."

A smile, yet it seemed such a lonely expression when compared to the smiles she previously offered him. He was unsure of the meaning behind it, so he waited, but she said nothing, and if it weren't for the clacks of heels, and the chatters between the sales clerks and shoppers present inside the store, the silence would have been deafening, and painful.

Perhaps she was unaware of her own expression at the time, Law had thought, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know the reason behind that smile of hers. It was the first time he ever saw her wear it, and if he was to connect it from his previous statement, then it would mean -

"Either of us may end up dead tonight," he stated solemnly, carefully observing her features as he added, "You'll choose, no matter what."

And there it was again, the loneliest expression beneath a pretty smile, an expression that spoke a world of answers without even needing a single word uttered, confirming his sneaking suspicion that the woman had finally decided on something - _someone_ \- and although he was convinced she chose him, at that moment he felt a tad doubtful. And the longer she wore that certain smile, the stronger the unease he endured.

Law sighed, leaning in closer and bringing down a tattooed hand to caress her cheek, "I've seen you cry, fake a smile," he said, and she flinched as his thumb brushed over her cheekbone, "But this is even worse, I can't describe it."

Elka frowned, gently removing his hand from her cheek. The gesture seemed to suggest his touch was unwanted, and it showed in his eyes, a flicker of disappointment, but on the contrary, she liked Law touching her so delicately as if she was so precious. She couldn't admit it, didn't want to admit, because she didn't want to get used to it, she refused to get used to it.

Her inner turmoil was left misunderstood, and Law decided it was best to move away before things between them went poorer. He slowly stepped away from her, and the way he retracted his hand showed a reluctance that was so foreign to her, that suddenly she missed his warmth, instinctively reaching for him. She stepped out of her hiding and tugged at his sleeve, but it was more of a yank with the way he unexpectedly whirled around, shock and bewilderment written all over his face.

"Don't-" she cut herself off. She was about to say 'don't leave me', and those words sounded more of a plea. She didn't want to seem weak before him, not when she finally made up her mind. There was no need for pity, nor any kind of affection. She looked at her hand and then at the sleeve she firmly held, the wrinkles around it was a testament to the amount of force she applied on the fabric, desperate and wanting, and the realization made her pull away, withdrawing her hand as if it had been burned.

She cleared her throat and said instead, "Don't just leave without buying a change of clothes. Your ruined coat is bothering the other customers."

He stared at her blankly, and for a good while they both stood still, frozen, until she could not bear the numerous pairs of eyes they had managed to attract, prompting her to spin to her heels and march over to the store's men section.

The pirate captain trailed behind her, falling into deep and silent thought as he tried to grasp the significance of her previous action. She lied, he knew there was something she wanted to say, something entirely different than those that left her lips. It could mean anything, and the inference he drew from it worsened his mood. There was no mistaking her concern for their pursuer, an existence so hard to ignore, and proved to be a huge annoyance. She was stalling, he deduced, likely to prevent them from meeting - clashing, to be precise.

He had initially planned to dispatch the men sent after them, but perhaps he should simply get rid of their captain, he pondered. Unlike the redhead, he had no problems upsetting the woman.

Then his eyes found her browsing the racks, pulling out articles and comparing sizes. He watched her silently, and then later he was picturing her sorrow for a dear one lost and then anger directed at him. And it unnerved him, the awareness of it disturbed him immensely.

She shoved a pile of clothes into his arms, briefly telling him to try them on and then turning back to the rack to keep looking, completely oblivious of his lingering presence. A look of shock crossed his face, replaced with anger after which he realized he was caught off guard, caught at the brink of tipping his inner scales of logic over sentiment. His expression morphed into a glower, magnifying his frustration over the matter but decided against acting upon it. Instead, he hurried over to the changing rooms, his anger ever boiling even after tugging the curtains closed behind him.

There was a wham, an abrupt and loud sound originating from one of the booths, startling most of the crowd within the store, rendering them almost quiet. A sales assistant was courageous enough to approach the source, softly asking if the person behind the curtains was fine, only to be answered with nothing but stillness. The clock continued to tick and they began to worry, a few customers expressing their concern by coming nearer to said booth and calling out to the person as well.

Elka was curious too, unaware of who was behind the closed curtains. She knew Law had gone to one of the many booths to try on the clothes she picked, but she failed to catch which of the several rooms he went in.

Until the curtain opened suddenly, and the crowd gasped in surprise when they saw the dark doctor emerge. The navy blue shirt she had given him seemed a bit tight for him, its long sleeves underlining his thews on his lean arms. The fabric stretched taut across his chest, accentuating his muscles and broad shoulders. If not for the smoldering gaze he wore, he would have been very much approachable.

"Uh, sir?"

A small voice squeaked to his left, but he completely ignored it, keeping his eyes trained onto a certain raven-haired woman, waiting _im_ patiently for a response.

Thankfully, she responded fast, swiftly wading through the crowd that seemed to have formed around the changing rooms. Cocking her head to the side, she peered past Law and found the wall behind him crushed, a fist imprinted at the center. She glared at him, and he glared back. She was clueless as to the root of his anger, but for the time being she decided to let it go.

Her back grew hotter from the curious stares thrown at their direction. She acted quick, placing her hands on his wrists and saying in a considerably loud voice, "Oh there was a huge roach? It must have startled you," she turned to the sales assistant, smiling in hopes of easing their anxiousness, "Next time, make sure to thoroughly clean your booths."

The crowd quickly dissolved, and the whole place returned to being noisy. Understanding surfaced on the sales assistant's face, and next they were bowing their head in apology. They offered to get rid of the 'insect', and Elka persuaded them to gather their 'cleaning materials' first because it was 'a mess in there'.

They didn't wait for the sales clerk to return, and after paying for the shirt Law wore and a few other clothes she grabbed at the heat of the moment, the two made themselves scarce with all speed.

"What happened in there?" Elka asked as soon as they were a few meters away from the store.

Law remained quiet.

She knew if the dark doctor decided to shut his mouth, it'd take all efforts on her part to pry his mouth open, but that glower on his face compelled her to keep pushing. She wanted to know where that sudden surge of anger came from, especially coming from _the_ Trafalgar Law whom she had known to be always calm and composed. It was so out of character and it bothered her to no end.

"Doctor, can you please tell me what's gotten into you?"

He didn't reply still, but she knew he was listening by the way his jaw clenched in exasperation.

"I told you already, I'm not betraying anyone. Not you."

Still no reply, not even a gesture of acknowledgement. It was nice he kept his pace and walked beside her, but the silent treatment stung her.

Lifting her eyes, she saw a neon sign with a familiar ring to it. She studied the building, the adrenaline leaving her already beaten body when one of its billboards flashed an image of a room with a large, comfy-looking bed. She was tired, finally feeling the whole weight of all the mental strain piling up since the previous day.

Her steps quickened, and for a moment she had forgotten the dark doctor's existence, entering the establishment without hesitation. Not looking twice at the implication of its signage.

The person behind the counter was a strapping lady, a cigarette stuck between her lips as she read a monthly fashion magazine. Glancing up, her eyes immediately zoomed in on the woman, looking her up and down.

"Are you sure you want a room here," she paused, her eyes briefly sweeping across the tall, tan man standing behind the aspiring doctor and then landing back at her, "miss student?"

Elka got the message, presenting her paper bag filled with change of clothes and promising to be careful next time. With a paper signed and a payment made, the lady handed over a key. After hearing directions, she immediately went on her way, glancing over her shoulder once to express her thanks back to the lady and then dashing up the staircase.

Law's anger had dwindled by then. It helped that he was able to blow off some steam on the last store. But now he was tired, his body was beginning to complain of exhaustion, yet his mind remained at work, and he wondered if it was a good idea to come into such a place. He considered Elka's condition, but their pursuer was perfectly capable of combing the whole area in search of them. It might be possible to get some rest, but not for long.

Soon they were inside a modest room, its walls painted in a lighter tone of pink, the floor covered in an alternating white and red tiles, a singular window, and a white, comfy-looking double bed. The pillows looked very fluffy, and the cream sheet over the mattress was inviting.

With the dim lighting, it took them a moment to recognize the bathroom separated by a glass partition. And it seemed to shake Elka awake, jolting spectacularly at the sight.

The Warlord didn't seem to mind its existence, casually brushing past her, slumping into the bed and making himself comfortable. He threw her an inquisitive look, but perhaps she imagined something else entirely and it showed on her face because the smirk curving his lips told her he had read her mind.

"It's not what you think," she said defensively, struggling to force the color from rising in her cheeks.

His hard stare augmented her feelings of mortification, and she internally scolded herself for letting her thoughts wander to sinful contexts. They were in a pinch, curse it all, and here she was, thinking of inappropriate things involving the dreamy dark doctor.

For a second she decided to close her eyes, and once she snapped them open she was back to her calm self.

"Well, love hotels are cheap," she quickly followed, "And they're not too strict with identification and whatnot. Can't be too picky while on the run."

"I don't mind the places you choose," he offered back, a smirk still lingered at the edges of his lips, "Or the imaginings you conjure."

She blinked, and despite herself the blush she struggled to suppress had resurfaced so easily. But she slapped her cheeks, maybe a little harder than she intended judging by her fleeting frown. At least, it helped her to push those thoughts aside, finally able to move closer to the man.

Her eyes drifted back to the bathroom, and a thought struck her, carelessly saying it aloud, unwittingly. "I wonder if he has experience…"

Law was curious. "Experience with what?"

And perhaps it slipped her mind, answering the question ever so carefree, "Sex."

As soon as the word left her mouth, she found herself standing right before the dark doctor, staring at her with an expression akin to intrigue. Her eyes widened in shock as realization hit her, then embarrassment crossed her features, the gears of her mind working in panic, searching for anything to give as an excuse, or defense, and she remained quiet for the whole time, partly hoping the man before her dismissed it as something trivial and unworthy of his time.

"Is that curiosity directed at me, or at someone else?"

Confused, she searched his face in the dim light, his eyes gray like ashes burned by hot fire - an ire in restraint. "Huh? What are you saying?" Then understanding dawned on her, but she hesitated to address it, to ask if it was jealousy she heard.

He was silent for a long time until he dropped his gaze, heaving a sigh as he leaned his back against the bed's headboard. "Forget it. Go get some rest while you still can."

She idled for a moment before sitting over the mattress beside him, eyes fixed on the floor, a tiny crack on the red tile under her shoes. "By the way, doctor, what made you so angry back at the store?"

There was genuine curiosity in her tone, mixed with a bit of worry that made him wonder whether she was offering it to the recipient of his anger, or to the source of it, which was himself.

And for the life of him he couldn't understand why he wanted to push her, speaking in such a cold and cruel manner, answering the question with what he exactly knew would lose him many points, "I want him dead. You want him alive."

Her gaze snapped back to him, the turn of her head sharp as a whip, and instead of fear there was accusation in her eyes, cruel and unforgiving. "You intend to _kill_ Ross?"

He returned her gaze squarely, donning an indifference that seemed to fan the flames of her anger by the sharpening of her eyes, like a dark blade wanting to cut through flesh and bone. But he did not hesitate to reply, and when he spoke next the challenge was clear in his voice. "When I can, yes."

Her brow twitched, it wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "He's my friend."

"He's my enemy."

Her hands curled into fists, she was now gritting her teeth. Perhaps it was the first time he'd seen her seethe. "Listen, this could have been all a misunderstanding. Ross is-"

"A soldier bound by his duties," he growled, cutting her off rudely. Her eyes widened, biting her lip in frustration as she heard the next thing he said, "He's complying with the orders given to him, orders to capture me and _you_."

She fell quiet for a time, her glare softening to make way for glassy eyes, expression almost pleading, but then she looked away, unable to bear looking at the face of the man ready to take the life of her friend. And when she spoke again, her voice was so faint she wasn't sure if he heard the words.

"You really should go back."

"That was the plan from the start."

"Then let's keep moving," she rose up, and tears were already streaming down her face. It made Law increasingly uncomfortable, but refrained from letting it show.

"Move to where? Back to where we started?"

She visibly flinched, but she didn't move nor speak.

"We've done that so many times yet nothing happened," he continued, and the cold, hostile tone he used spoke of his withering composure, threatening to break any moment then. "Do you have any idea how to get me back? You're simply stalling - wasting time."

"Then what should I do?!" she snapped, "How about _you_ think of something too?!"

She didn't see him move before she was on her back, the fleecy mattress squeaked briefly under her full weight's heavy fall. There was a flash of light, a blade brushing beside her head and she felt a warm liquid trickle down her face. A sting followed, but she did not dare break eye contact to check on the wound she sustained because she was far more afraid for her own life.

He leaned in close, his face a few inches away from hers, making her all the more conscious of the rare display of his livid expression.

"Here's an idea," he said, annunciating every word. "If you're so concerned about him, take his place and die."

One second and she looked at him calmly, though her heart pounded loudly against her chest. "He has nothing to do with your being here. Do you seriously think killing him or me will help you get back?"

"Judging by the way your world treats you, yes."

She was reminded of the series of unfortunate events she'd encountered since, and her composure slipped at the understanding. Death hounded her for days, and whenever she was saved the life of another was taken instead. It was like an exchange, her blessing for someone's curse, and following the disasters that had taken place since, it was likely that Ross was next.

And she couldn't bear to live with that knowledge, that in exchange for her own happiness she was essentially robbing someone else. And the trend seemed to have gotten to persons close to her, whom she held dear and treasured most. The pain and sorrow of a dear one lost surely was unbearable, and recalling Maribelle's death made her want it to end one way or another.

But she was still afraid, a coward so afraid of death.

"Would you really kill me?"

Law inched his blade ever closer to her neck, the cool steel meeting her skin made her hold a breath. It was the soundless answer he gave her, an affirmation of his intention.

He was still hesitant, reluctant to go through it because, other than the possibility it may not work still, she had managed to crawl her way deep into his skin in a strange way. And he remembered the time when he promised - kind of - to protect her. It was an ironic thing, but thinking about the events that followed, it seemed to be pointing that the key, which he believed to be Elka herself, was supposed to be destroyed in order to release him, to get himself back to his own world.

And how fitting it would be, that the Surgeon of Death be the one to deliver her end.

Elka took a soft inhale, and the following exhale cleared her mind. Perhaps she should simply accept it, after all, losing the one friend she dearly treasured would only leave her feeling empty, and who could tell, her parents, her one and only sibling, they may become next targets, and losing them equated to death, albeit an even agonizing one. But it wasn't easy, because her dying would also mean the grief of those who were left behind, people she loved and reciprocated, and she figured she was being selfish by accepting death's embrace.

However, she already made a decision.

"I won't let any of you die," she said quietly, firm like a conviction, but he didn't move an inch, and it took him a moment to realize the implication her words held.

A risk she was willing to take. For the promise it held, there was hope she was willing to bet her life on.

He was quite shocked, but he managed to hide it. He waited, letting her words linger between them, almost hoping she would say something else or offer another way, but what she announced next only stunned him.

"If it meant returning you to your world, and saving Ross in the process," her voice quavered, there was still some fear in there, expectation thrumming along her skin and her veins, yet she let her eyes drift shut - a sign of faith so vivid even he couldn't deny it. "Do it."

Anger surged within him like a vicious thing, furious at the outcome she agreed to receive, and it showed from the trembling of his hands, the grimace and conflicted look on his face. It was true he wanted to return to his world fast, to finally get back on track and continue his journey of realizing his plans, but for some reason he found it hard and utterly unacceptable to take the life of the woman before him. He had previously thought he was prepared to do anything to achieve his goal, but perhaps he was still weak, allowing some woman to break his resolve and influence his decisions.

 _Some woman._

She wasn't some woman to him, perhaps not anymore, and to this he clenched his jaw, in nervousness or anger, he was not sure anymore, but he knew he didn't like that small flame kindling within him.

And to think he believed she was the only one with a choice, options so forcefully thrust against her face - he too had it, and by then he had grasped its curse.

He slowly withdrew his blade, and with the slightest movement, a small whimper escaped her throat yet her eyes remained close, still waiting for his sword to cut across her neck and finally stop her breath for eternity. And this irked him even more, her willingness to sacrifice herself for another, because he knew it wasn't just for him alone, but for someone else too.

It was childish of him, and unbecoming, and he was well aware of it. "Let's think of another way," he said then, as he sheathed his sword.

Her eyes snapped open to find his back turned to her, and she blinked, so astonished at the course the Warlord had taken. "But I thought you-"

"Had I killed you and nothing happened, then I just ruined my chance to return to my world," he interrupted, looking over his shoulder calmly, yet the hard line between his brows hinted at the remaining irritation he felt at their situation. "But when we find proof that your death will allow me to return to my world, I _will_ do it."

Elka only nodded, closing her eyes in resignation. By then she had accepted it within herself, that the option of her death be chosen when the time came, and although she still prayed it wouldn't come to that, she willed herself to prepare for it.

=/=

When Elka woke, she quickly rose up, sitting over the bed bemused of how and when she drifted to sleep. And it was a strange sight to find the dark doctor seated comfortably beside her, eyes fixed on her thoroughly so. Maybe he'd been watching her sleep since. The theory made her heart skip a beat.

She looked at the window and found that the lampposts were still lit, though the burst of colors and noise outside had lessened. "How long have I been asleep?"

Law seemed to think for a moment. "Maybe two hours."

"And Ross?"

He shifted his gaze towards the door. "I've been keeping watch and he's probably nearby."

She panicked. "You mean behind the door?!"

"No," he stood up and stalked towards the door, holding his sword at the ready. "Not immediately behind this door but he _is_ nearby."

"Then should we leave?" she asked, unsure of her own question.

"Considering you don't want him to die, yes," he said, his voice oozing with mockery and a hint of bitterness.

She frowned at that, but didn't talk back. It was the truth anyway, and since he was being amenable she didn't want to anger him and cause him to change his mind.

"You should change clothes. Your white uniform stands out too much," he remarked.

And she promptly complied, undressing right then and there without even waiting or checking if the man with her had already looked away, but perhaps it was the panic and alarm that stripped her off of her logical side, or she simply, genuinely forgot his presence. The latter amused him, causing him to keep his eyes on her so as to let her know he was watching, but she seemed to be too consumed by the fact that the redhead was nearby. And unconsciously, a look that said he made a mistake by saying it crossed his face.

She pretty much wore the first thing she got her hands on from the paper bag she carried, uncaring of how it looked on her as long as it fitted her. The black tee seemed a bit loose on her, but at least the denim shorts fitted snuggly on her. Her uniform was then discarded to the paper bag, but she kept the shoes on since she didn't buy a pair of slipper or a rubber shoes to change with.

Dressed up and ready to go, she found Law leaning against the door, arms folded across his chest, staring at her with that utterly amused smile. And after a while she felt her cheeks hot, trying not to think about what she had done and fighting the urge to ask if he watched her change. Because if he did she was going to ask him to run her through his sword and get it over with.

Not later, he seemed to stand in alert, turning to the door and placing a hand on the knob while he held his weapon at the ready.

She stepped closer to him, although slowly in an attempt to reduce the sound of her footsteps. "Is…is he behind the door now?" she whispered, partly afraid of the answer and what might come next.

Law was quiet for a moment, "No, but he's moving away."

"Observation _haki_ , huh? How can you tell if he's nearby or moving?" Elka wondered, intrigue evident from her voice.

"It's not accurate, but I can sense his presence," he explained, but didn't elaborate further. His hand remained over the knob until he decided to turn it and pull the door open.

She peeked behind him but there was no one present before them. They then stepped outside and saw nothing except for the several doors lining the corridor and then the staircase at the end of it.

"Are you sure it's okay to leave? Isn't Ross still nearby?" she asked again, obvious worry spilling from her words.

He paused, and then gestured to the stairs. "He doesn't seem to be anywhere near this building. Let's leave while we still can."

And soon they were out in the open, walking amongst the crowd in the busy streets of Night Market. It was already past 1 am, and yet the place remained lively, still brimming with people despite the reduction of the volume of speakers booming out music from each store due to a handful already closing shop.

"Um, doctor? How do you sense Ross? How does that work?" Elka was fairly curious, because she knew the concept of _haki_ did not exist in their world. It was a mystery to her, that the Warlord was able to feel Ross's presence when in fact the lad lived in the same world as she.

Law looked at her for a moment, seemingly contemplating whether he should explain or not. He determined there was no harm in telling her, but he hated to admit that it may sound like a compliment. So he picked his words carefully, but still ended up with something close to a praise.

"Ross- _ya_ has this presence that's sort of hard to ignore."

" **I'm flattered that you think so highly of me.** "

It was a familiar voice, _too_ familiar that raised the pirate captain's alarms. He whirled around, a blue aura swirling below his palm, but right after his room expanded, a body slammed into him, pushing him roughly against the floor. His head cracked painfully against the cobblestone and he felt dizzy for a moment. Then a weight fell over his torso, knocking off the breath from his lungs. Dazed, he looked up into the face of his assailant, the electric blue orbs and the childish freckles across his face shook him wildly awake.

Elka had noticed what happened a second later, and when she turned back to the dark doctor he was already on the ground, pinned down by the man she was eager to protect. Ross's arms raised threateningly into the air, the steel daggers he held on both hands glistened under the light of lampposts. It was noticeable that he was missing his coat, and instead he wore a casual red shirt, but his pants remained that of the khaki green uniform, for it held lots of pockets to which he carried his weapons.

The instant he motioned to stab Law's eyes was also the instant he seamlessly disappeared, a lone rock falling over the dark doctor's chest as a seeming replacement. And the pirate got up to his feet at once, pulling Elka by the arm as they ran away to the opposite direction.

Steel daggers met with stone, and Ross cursed as a jolting current ran through his arms. It completely slipped his mind, the devilish ability the pirate was capable of doing, and it was a huge mistake to allow himself to get carried away and damage his own dagger, and his own hands. A look of disgust crossed his features before he lifted his face, and once again he was left to watch their figures shrink away from his sight.

He took out the radio that was concealed on his back, "Hey Raven, I lost them," he said, but his deadpan expression suggested he couldn't care less.

"Understood," a voice echoed from the other line. "We'll proceed as planned."

He huffed then, cutting off the connection and placing the radio back on his rear pocket. His eyes swept over the direction he last saw the two, and as he began to march forward he muttered to himself, begrudgingly at that, "If only Seastone Cuffs were a thing here."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm writing this note because December is almost here and I'd like to inform you all in advanced that I may not be able to update this story sooner because I'm about to get real busy (I know it's nothing new, sorry for that). But at least, I think, we'll be nearing the end of this story (I know, sorry it's short lel, perhaps around 20 chaps overall is all I can do, so since this is the 18th, maybe 2 more and it's done. Well, unless my brain acts up again and creates some new scenes I want to add).  
**

 **Anyhow, I am eternally grateful for your patience and support! So then, I want you to know, dear readers, that you all are wonderful creatures! Hope you enjoyed this new chapter, you beautiful people!**


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